Undergraduate applications for admission to The University of Western Ontario are flooding in.
Statistics released this week by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) show 32,558 high school students choosing Western, a 4.7-per-cent jump over 31,104 applicants at this point last year. The statistics do not include Western affiliates.
The only higher tally was for the ‘double cohort’ in 2003 when two high school grades graduated the same year.
Across the province, university applications have increased 2.7 per cent from the previous year to more than 375,000.
“The student experience is a priority at Western and the entire campus makes crucial contributions to this mission, from faculty and staff to students,” says John Doerksen, Vice-Provost (Academic Programs and Students) [Registrar].
Lori Gribbon, Director of Undergraduate Recruitment and Admissions, highlights the importance of students, staff and faculty “sharing their stories across the country and around the world about their experience at Western.”
Western has outstripped the provincial average of growth over the past decade. Applications are up by 63 per cent since 2000, compared to 46 per cent Ontario-wide, boosting average entrance grades at Western to be among the highest in the province.
Gribbon says the university developed and stuck to its mission over the years.
“Through the strategic planning process over the past 10 years, Western has both identified and achieved many goals in support of our mission, whether it involved maintaining the beauty of our campus, strengthening the quality of our undergraduate programs, or recruiting outstanding faculty, staff and students to name a few.”
Doerksen adds the overall increase over the decade has been driven by demographics and participation rates. The number of 18-24 year olds in Ontario has increased and more of them want a university education.
“Western’s focus on first-class academic programs and our commitment to meaningful opportunities for students outside the classroom have helped to make us a university destination of choice,” says Doerksen.
The Council of Ontario Universities sees the growth as evidence of the value universities provide for students and their parents, says Sheldon Levy, Chair of Council and President and Vice-Chancellor of Ryerson University.
“Graduates of Ontario universities possess the creative, technical and critical thinking skills to be leaders in the knowledge economy, where about 70 per cent of jobs will require a post-secondary education.”
While more students are making Western their university of choice, undergraduate enrolment will remain stable next year at about 4,350.
However, the policy of flat-lining undergraduate admissions may change.
At a recent Senate meeting, Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Fred Longstaffe recommended the university look for new revenue sources to ease financial strain. That could include modest undergraduate growth during the next planning cycle that begins in 2011-12.
The new COU statistics include all applications received by the Jan. 13 deadline for secondary students, although the centre will continue to process applications received after the deadline.
The total number of university applicants will get another boost later this year when mature, returning, transfer and international students apply. This group, called non-secondary school applicants, is also tracking higher and could represent more than 45,000 applicants by the end of the application cycle in September.