Big jump in applications

Yale bucked a national trend with a jump of 43 percent over last year’s 2,469 applications to 3,530—or nearly 34 applicants for each spot in the 105-member class entering this fall. Part of the increase was due to Yale’s first-time participation in the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), which enables students to apply to multiple schools with a single computerized application. However, Yale’s increase comes as medical school applications continued a downward trend nationally. In addition to AMCAS, Director of Admissions Richard A. Silverman credits the appeal of the Yale System for the school’s increasing success in attracting applicants. “We’re pleased with the numbers, but even more thrilled with the quality of the applicant pool,” he said. “They are a remarkably diverse group with outstanding academic, research, and extracurricular leadership records and a wide variety of experiences.”