12 Percent Accepted Into Class of 1999

The Harvard-Radcliffe Admissions Office will mail 17,847 letters today to high school seniors anxiously waiting to find out whether or not they will be part of the class of 1999.

Less than 12 percent of them, 2,112 students, will receive acceptance letters, Director of Admissions Marlyn McGrath Lewis '70-'73 said yesterday.

This year's applicant pool was more than 2,500 students larger than last year's.

"It's another record number!" Lewis said.

Last year, 2,149 candidates were offered admission, about 14 percent of those who applied. Two years ago, 2,165 were admitted to the class of 1997, about 15 percent of total applicants.

"[We're] very happy with the applicants," Lewis said. "We think it's a great class."

The prospective class of 1999 is 46.6 percent female, up slightly from the class of 1998's 45.5 percent and the class of 1997's 44.2 percent.

This year, 978 women were offered admission, compared to 985 last year and 954two years ago.

Statistics about the class's racial make-up andother information will not be released untiltoday.

Although exact numbers were not availableyesterday, Lewis said she thinks the share ofstudents admitted from public, private andparochial schools is similar to last year's,"roughly two-thirds from public schools, and 30percent from parochial or private schools."

All applicants for the class of 1999 filled outthe Common Application with a special supplement.Lewis said the admissions office plans to use theCommon Application next year as well

Statistics about the class's racial make-up andother information will not be released untiltoday.

Although exact numbers were not availableyesterday, Lewis said she thinks the share ofstudents admitted from public, private andparochial schools is similar to last year's,"roughly two-thirds from public schools, and 30percent from parochial or private schools."

All applicants for the class of 1999 filled outthe Common Application with a special supplement.Lewis said the admissions office plans to use theCommon Application next year as well