Union College sees rise in applications

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marcy Velte

For the second time in four years admission applications from prospective Union College students have surpassed the 5,000 mark.

There were 5,064 applications submitted by hopeful high school seniors for the class of 2015, according to a release on the college’s website. The applications increased by 4 percent from last year’s number of 4,874.

“We compete for some of the best students in the country, and we know students who are admitted to Union have a variety of good options,” said Matt Malatesta, vice president for Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment in a written statement. “Our goal is to help the ‘right’ students find their match at Union.”

The college’s all-time high for applications was in 2008 when 5,271 students applied. Officials plan to accept 1,200 students in March and expect 565 of those accepted to make up the class of 2015. About $9 million in financial aid is budgeted for the incoming class.

“We’re selective enough that we’re taking the best students, but if [applicants] have done a thoughtful college search they will have a lot of different college options.”

Malatesta said Union doesn’t accept more students because its 10-to-1 student-teacher ratio is what sets it apart from other schools. “Being small is who we are. If we changed that it would change everything.”

Campus visits were also up this year. Malatesta said the bump may be due to a recent “Bloomberg Businessweek” article naming Union College the best return on investment school in the state. They were named 13th out of the entire country.

“It eases the minds of parents and students when an institution like Bloomberg is saying it,” he said.