Radcliffe Accepts 361; 35 Are Merit Scholars

The Radcliffe class of 1967 will have the highest number of public school students and National Merit Scholarship winners of any 'Cliffe freshman class.

Acceptance letters were sent out yesterday to 361 students, 66 per cent from public high schools, 30 per cent from private schools, the remaining four per cent from foreign schools. These figures confirm a trend of the last few years toward admitting more public school applicants; last year, 59 per cent of the new freshman class came from public schools, and 37 per cent from private schools.

Thirty-five National Merit Scholars were admitted to next year's freshman class--a somewhat larger number than the twenty-two Merit winners admitted last year.

The Committee on Admissions expects that about 315 of the 361 girls who were accepted will decide to enter Radcliffe. Of these an estimated 15 will be accepted for advanced standing.

Margaret W. Stimpson, acting director of admissions, noted that one of the outstanding features of the group which has been accepted for next year's freshman class is the "excellence of public school candidates." It is evident from the applications, she said that math and science in particular are being taught on an increasingly high level in the public high schools. Mrs. Stimpson suggested that this trend is probably a result of the increasing national demand for scientists.

Another characteristic of the Class of '67 is the large number of applicants from Western and Southern schools previously unknown to Radcliffe. Only 23 per cent of those accepted for next year's class are from New England, compared to 27 per cent last year and 35 per cent the year before. Thirty-one per cent of next year's freshmen will probably come from the Mid-Atlantic States, 18 per cent from the Central states, 14 per cent from the South, 10 per cent from the West, and about four per cent from foreign countries.

Financial Aid

One hundred forty-three of those admitted requested financial aid; 91 were granted it. Betty Lou Marple, dean of Financial Aid, said that the college hopes to give a total of about $65,000 in aid to incoming freshmen. Probably 65 of the 91 girls offered aid will decide to accept it. Last year, 153 of those admitted requested financial aid, and 74 accepted it.

Transfer Students

The Office of Admissions has had over 160 applications from students who wish to transfer to Radcliffe next year. The number of girls who will be accepted as transfer students depends on how many present Radcliffe students leave school for one reason or another. Last year Radcliffe accepted 20 girls as transfer students.

Radcliffe chose next year's freshman class from over 1900 applicants--the largest number in the school's history. Eighty-five girls were accepted early this year under the Early Decision program.

Harvard Admissions

Harvard mailed out letters of admission last Monday. The college accepted 1362 from a total of 5047 applications. This is the smallest number to be admitted to any freshman class since the 1930's. On Tuesday, with about one-half of the acceptances in, the admissions office reported that the rate of acceptance this year is running about the same as last year, around 94 percent for the early replies.

The Admissions and Scholarship Committee awarded grants totaling $510,000 to 415 of the accepted freshman. Included in this year's group of admitted students are 95 National Merit Scholarship winners, the largest number ever to designate Harvard at their first-choice school. Last year 89 Merit winners were admitted, and all 89 are now enrolled as freshmen.