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• 2010

Applications up for graduate and professional programs

In what the dean calls a "truly herculean effort," the admissions staff at the nation's oldest law school oversaw another record year for applications. It's a trend others are also seeing across the Williamsburg campus.

The William & Mary Law School saw a 26-percent increase in applications to the J.D. program, receiving nearly 6,300 applications for slightly more than 200 seats in the Class of 2013. The Law School joins the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as well as other graduate and professional programs at the College in reporting significant increases in applications for next year's incoming classes.

The School of Education is reporting an increase of more than 20 percent in graduate applications. Admissions officials in graduate programs in Arts & Sciences also report an increase of eight percent compared to last year. At William & Mary's Mason School of Business, applications to the MBA program are up 12 percent compared to the same time frame from last year.

"Whether its graduate and professional programs or undergraduate studies, we're delighted that so many people want to join us at William & Mary," said President Taylor Reveley.

This news from the graduate programs comes a few months after admissions officials reported that undergraduate applications topped 12,500, a record number for the fifth year in a row.

At the Law School, the total number of applications has increased by 48 percent since 2007. Applications this year were received from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 72 countries. According to recent data compiled by the Law School Admission Council, only 17 percent of accredited law schools in the United States experienced an application increase this year of more than 20 percent. Nationally, law schools saw an average increase in applications of just three percent.

"This surge in law school applications reflects the strong reputation that William & Mary enjoys throughout the nation," said Law School Dean Davison M. Douglas said in an announcement about the applications. "Despite this increase, our admissions staff gave each application very careful attention.

"My hat is off to them for a truly herculean effort."

The good news continues in other programs and schools across campus. Including this year's jump by eight percent, applications to Arts & Sciences graduate programs has increased 23 percent over the past two years. This includes a 19-percent increase in applications from domestic students and a 35-percent increase in applications from international students, officials said.

“Arts & Sciences is widely known for the high quality of its undergraduate programs, and it’s gratifying to see that the reputation of our master's and Ph.D. programs continues to spread,” said Carl Strikwerda, dean of Arts & Sciences.

At the Mason School of Business, where faculty, staff and students moved into a new 166,000-square-foot building last summer, applications are also up. In addition to the increase in full-time MBA students, applications to the business school's Master's of Accounting program are up more than 100 percent.

At the School of Education, they are just weeks away from moving into their state-of-the-art facility. They'll be moving in with plenty of momentum. Graduate applications topped 520, the school's highest total in more than 20 years.

"This has been a banner spring for the School of Education," said Dean Virginia McLaughlin, adding that the school learned last week the graduate program moved up nine spots in the latest ranking by U.S. News & World Report to tied for 39th. Next month, they will begin moving into the new 113,000-square-foot building that will bring together all of the classes and programs under one roof.

"Thanks to the hard work of our faculty, staff and students, word is getting out that William & Mary is one of the country's leaders in preparing our country's future educators," McLaughlin said.