B-School Applications Drop: More Women are Accepted

Applications for admission to the Business School have declined for the second year in a row. Gale D. Merseth '67, director of Admissions for the Business School's MBA Program, said last week.

The number of applicants for the 780 positions in the entering MBA class has declined from a peak of over 3800 two years ago to an estimated 2800 this year, Merseth said.

Merseth attributed the decline to an economic recession which he said has made businessmen reluctant to leave their business and return to school.

As a result of the recession, he added, the composition of the applicant pool has also changed. This year's applicants include more students who are just graduating from college, and fewer with prior administrative experience, he said.

In an attempt to compensate for this, Merseth said that about 100 applicants have been offered admission in 1974 under the condition that they do "some kind if organizational work" in the interim. So far, he added, 80 per cent of those given this offer had accepted.

Merseth also said that the number of female applicants has risen 40 per cent over last year, and that next year's entering class will reflect the increase. Nearly 100 women will be accepted for next year's class, he added.

Merseth said that recent increase in tuition may be a reason for the decline in the number of applicants. Tuition jumped from $2800 last year to $3400 for the class entering in 1971. Tuition will not increase next year, but Merseth noted that fellowship funds have generally not kept pace with tuition, although loans to students have increased to make up the difference.