The Justice

With a growing number of high school students in the southwestern United States applying to college, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy said the University should shift its recruitment resources more extensively to that region.

According to a recent United States census report, the number of high school-age students is rising, mostly in the western United States, while the number is declining in the Northeastern region, where Eddy said Brandeis mainly finds its applicant pool.

"Brandeis needs to recruit more heavily in the West-send counselors to high schools and fairs, send more materials to students in that region, hold regional receptions with our alumni and friends in that part of the country to increase familiarity with Brandeis. If we do those things, more students will become interested and consequently apply."

A 2006 self-study Brandeis prepared in its reacrididation process by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, reported that 20 percent of each Brandeis class consists of students from outside the Northeast. Over 30 percent of the class of 2009 is from outside the Northeast.

The report shows that the number of high school age students in heavily-populated East Coast states like New York is much smaller than the number in the larger West Coast states.

Dean of Admissions Gil Villanueva said his office, as well as the University's Office of Research and Planning, has been on a six-year mission to address this change of demographics and attract more students nationwide.

He said that encouraging students to visit the campus and allowing Brandeis to speak for itself will be the strongest selling point for potential applicants.

"Along with its superior intellectual environment, the community's welcoming atmosphere has and will continue to be one of the key recruitment tools for the admissions staff,"?Villanueva said. "We are fortunate to have students, faculty and staff that are always willing to participate in our on-campus programs."

Part of the problem may exist in the lack of recruitment institutions in the West. There is a Brandeis alumni house on the East Side of Central Park in Manhattan. No such thing exists on the West Coast.

Jordan Warsoff '11, from Salt Lake City, Utah, said he read about Brandeis in national rankings reports and then toured the campus during his tour of Boston-area colleges.

Warsoff said that as Brandeis' name earns more national recognition, more students in the Southwest will likely apply to the University.

The presence of more recruiting in the Southwest will lead to a more diverse academic community, Villenueva said.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools