Early applications for UVa’s class of 2020 increase by 4%

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia received 16,778 early action applications from prospective members of the Class of 2020, according numbers published yesterday by The Cavalier Daily. This represents a four percent increase over last year’s early application pool of 16,081.

While not committing to a specific number for this year, UVa offered admission to 4,851 early applicants last year, approximately 42 percent of whom were from Virginia. 

“The number of offers depends on the applicant pool,” explained Matthew Charles, university deputy spokesperson, in an email to the Cavalier Daily.

For those still waiting to submit, the regular decision deadline for the UVa Class of 2020 is January 1, 2016.  Last year, the university received 30,840 applications (earlier reports placed the number at 30,853), which represented a slight decrease from the previous year’s total of 31,042 applications. Of these 8,786 were initially admitted, with more added through the wait list process which extended until well into June.

This year, the admissions office is planning to fill 3,675 seats, according to the Cavalier Daily. If accurate, this would represent a slight decrease from the 3,707 students entering the Class of 2019. To accommodate larger classes, the university is currently constructing additional first year housing, which should be completed in August of 2016. 

The university is also in the process of hiring new faculty, in addition to replacing those who have or are planning to retire.

“The Board of Visitors and President Sullivan have authorized 105 new strategic faculty hires over the next five years in response to the expected growth in students,” explained Charles.

UVa reinstated early action in the fall of 2011, after doing away with a binding early decision program. That year, the university received 10,817 early applications. Since then, early action applications have steadily increased each year as students perceive an advantage in applying early.

Early action decisions are scheduled to be announced by  January 31, 2016, although the university usually manages to release them far earlier.