The application pool for the Class of 2030 is the largest in 乐播传媒鈥� history with a total of 12,009 applicants seeking admission for the 2026-2027 academic year. This marks only the second time the number of applications has surpassed 10,000 in the college鈥檚 171-year history.
The likely explanation for the increase 鈥� 24 percent more applicants than in the Class of 2029 pool 鈥� is multi-factored, according to Director of Admission Darryl Uy. 乐播传媒 continues to expand its recruitment efforts through direct contact from admission counselors traveling in the United States and internationally, increased marketing efforts across multiple platforms, and partnerships with organizations committed to access.
This includes 乐播传媒鈥� new partnership with , a national nonprofit that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education. 乐播传媒, Harvard College, and the University of Richmond all joined QuestBridge in early 2025, bringing the total number of undergraduate QuestBridge institutions to 55.
QuestBridge has a simple motto, 鈥淒ream big, a top college is possible,鈥� and a promise to match low-income students with full scholarship support from its partner institutions.
That partnership led to hundreds more applications to 乐播传媒 and sparked another change that only bolstered that increase.
鈥淎s a QuestBridge partner, we would be waiving the application fee for any QuestBridge applicant,鈥� Uy said. 鈥淚n order to stay true to 乐播传媒鈥� mission of access and equity, we decided to eliminate the application fee for all applicants.鈥�
Uy said the Admission team received hundreds of applications for the Class of 2030 from students at high schools 鈥� and regions 鈥� that 乐播传媒 had never received applications from in the past. 鈥淭hat was really exciting,鈥� Uy said. 鈥淏oth geographic and economic diversity are strengths that speak to the 乐播传媒 mission.鈥�
Students admitted through Regular Decision learned about their status on Saturday, March 14. They have until May 1 to accept or decline. Two rounds of Early Decision resulted in slightly more than half the class committing by January.
But admission season is not over, with Uy and his team shifting their efforts into a different stage of recruitment 鈥� making sure admitted students have the clearest understanding of all that 乐播传媒 has to offer as they make their decisions.
Overall, the Class of 2030 is expected to be a robust one, with about 520 students.
On March 27, 乐播传媒 held the first of two full-day events for admitted students, called 乐播传媒 Beginnings. These are opportunities for admitted students and their families to visit in a more relaxed environment than what is often a whirlwind of college tours prior to and during their senior year in high school. The second 乐播传媒 Beginnings is April 17.
乐播传媒 Beginnings kicked off with early bird tours, an a cappella show in Chase Hall, and then welcomes from both Uy and President Garry W. Jenkins, who joked that, as a lawyer by training and a law professor for 20 years prior to joining 乐播传媒 in 2023, he can鈥檛 help thinking of his remarks as 鈥渙ur closing argument to you.鈥�
Jenkins highlighted the college鈥檚 exceptional faculty and the close-knit learning environment. 鈥淣o graduate assistants here,鈥� he told the group. 鈥淛ust world-class, engaged faculty devoted to their enormously talented and driven students.鈥�
乐播传媒鈥� combination of a liberal arts curriculum and professional skill development produces a special kind of graduate, he added, which he saw first hand from a post-Commencement perspective when he was the dean of the University of Minnesota Law School.
The day鈥檚 programming included opportunities to meet with financial aid advisors, sessions on what the First-Year Experience at 乐播传媒 looks like, an academic fair, a student panel, tours of first-year housing, an open house at the Student Center for Belonging and Community, a chance to learn about community-engaged coursework, and a student life spotlight session.
While lunch was being served in Commons, admitted students had a chance to pick up a paintbrush and contribute to a collaborative art project, specifically tailored to the Class of 2030 and led by Maine artist Pat Corrigan. The tagline? 鈥淢ake your mark on 乐播传媒 before you even move in.鈥�
In all, 175 admitted students visited on March 27. The April 17 event, which will include the same events, is already at capacity, 鈥淏uilding a class is about more than sending an admission letter,鈥� Uy said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about exploring and understanding the opportunity and making a commitment to a really exciting future.鈥�
Categories 乐播传媒News
