Should I apply ED to Smith?

CrewDad
Tue, 19 Aug 2014 22:31:47 +0000

Most people assume that you’re more likely to get a merit scholarship from Smith by applying RD, but no one (outside of the admissions office) knows for sure.



In an article published a number of years ago, Audrey Smith, (who is now Vice President for Enrollment) and Peter de Villiers tacitly stated that the STRIDE is offered to RD applicants. There is no benefit in offering a merit award to an applicant who by applying ED has already committed to attend the college if accepted.



The STRIDE program is an admission incentive program," said Dean of Enrollment Audrey Smith. The program is offered to a small percentage of incoming first-years, and pairs students with faculty members working on a variety of research projects. STRIDE is designed to increase the yield of high-achieving students, or the percentage of these students accepted to Smith that choose to enroll, Smith said.

Peter de Villiers, the faculty coordinator of the STRIDE program, says the research scholarships have doubled the acceptance rate for high-performing students since the program was instituted.
It is an important part of our admissions strategies for attracting the academically strongest or best prepared students to come to the college," de Villiers said. "Ten to 12 percent of those top-rated students in the applicant pool used to say yes to Smith before the STRIDE program was implemented, and now 20 to 25 percent of that group say yes to the offer from Smith.