Western received 9,631 freshman applications by Jan. 31.  The total rose to 9,650 by Feb. 7, said Clara Capron, acting director of admissions and director of financial aid.

The university has also seen an almost 6 percent increase in residential applicants and more than 8 percent rise in non-residential applicants.

More specifically, Western experienced a 16 percent increase in applications of students of color, Capron said.

“The increase in applicants will add to the potential diversity to Western’s campus in many respects; certainly in terms of experiences that students can share and bring to the university,” Capron said. 

The university will accept about 2,800 incoming freshman, which is a higher number than previous years due to the rise in students graduating at the end of the 2011-12 academic school year, Capron said.

Capron said they expect to admit about 300 more students this year. Out of this number an additional 100 will follow through and enroll.

Western freshman Sofie Beck said she wanted to come to Western because of the distance from her home in north Seattle.

Beck was aware of the quality education program Western offered, and she felt Western was an affordable option compared to University of Portland, the other university she applied to.

Undergraduate tuition at University of Portland for the 2011-12 year is about $33,640 for two semesters, a large sum compared to Western’s current $6,468 yearly tuition.

“Everyone [here] is fairly laid back but still cares about their education,” Beck said.

Western ranked 48 on the Sierra Clubs’ “100 Greenest Schools.” It also ranked 81 on Kiplinger’s “Top 100” best values in public colleges for 2012, schools that have “a quality education at an affordable price.”

According to the list, Western’s student to teacher ratio is 21-to-1, while University of Washington’s is 12-to-1. Washington State University is 15-to-1, according to the university’s website.

University of Washington’s 2011-12 tuition costs about $9,747 for three quarters, while Washington State University’s 2011-12 tuition costs about $9,886 for two semesters.

“Students are responding to Western as one of the most affordable schools in Washington,” Capron said.

Although Western is receiving a major increase in applicants, admissions will still be looking at the same criteria as usual, Capron said.

The application criterion includes leadership, passion, test scores, personal circumstances and grade trends. 

High school senior Cassidy Frazer applied to Western on Dec. 31, and received a phone call on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to let her know she was accepted.

Frazer said she was worried about getting in because her grade point average was not as high as she wanted it to be.

“I appreciate the fact that Western gives applicants the opportunity to show that grades aren’t everything,” Frazer said.

Other Washington schools are  also experiencing an increase in applicants, according to admissions offices at Washington State University and University of Washington.

Washington State University had a 4 percent increase in applicants this year in comparison to previous years, said Sol Jensen, the executive director of enrollment at Washington State University.

University of Washington had a 6.6 percent rise in applicants this year, said Paul Seegert, associate director of admissions. 

The admissions procedure has moved to a paperless application process, which includes processing and reviewing of applications as well, Capron said.

This system allows the decisions to get out to students sooner in addition to significantly reducing printing costs, Capron said.

“I cannot wait to start my new journey at Western,” Frazer said.  “And I am honored to be accepted.”