Admissions Office Expects New High in Applications

A record number of applicants will flood the College's Admissions Office, Fred L. Glimp '50, Dean of Admissions, predicted yesterday. In spite of the expected 5,500-5,700 applications, however, Glimp plans no major changes in admissions policy.

"As long as we're not going to use the IBM method of selection, we're going to plow through all folders," Glimp explained. The College's system of judging applicants on the basis of extensive reports received criticism last year from Wilbur J. Bender '28, former Dean of Admissions, who predicted that streamlining would prove necessary in coming years.

Glimp supported a possible policy of "pre-screening," by which a group of colleges would establish a centralized service that would, in turn, encourage and discourage prospective candidates. Such a screening organization would lessen some of the load on the College's Admissions Office.

Were the "pre-screening" system established, high school students would apply the summer before their senior year. The candidates would then be classified by the various co-operating colleges, and those showing promise would be encouraged to apply during the fall.

Preliminary Application

Glimp hoped that any preliminary application form would be kept simple--"a page or so long." He favored a large number of schools co-operating in the program to make the system as widely effective as possible.

Admission to the College, according to Glimp, depends to a large degree upon "subjective evidence." Harvard uses a greater number of measurements--College Board scores, geographical region, father's employment, teachers' recommendations, etc.--than do other colleges; the extensive evidence causes delays in making final decisions.

There is "no magic way to change the system," Glimp noted, as long as the "subjective evidence" system is in effect.