Preliminary application numbers have been released and McMaster has seen an almost six per cent increase in applications this year.

“We're particularly pleased that the number of students naming McMaster as their first choice continues to increase,” says Lou Ariano, the University's registrar. “Our first choice numbers are up over seven per cent and indicate that we have the programs, teaching approach and facilities that students want.”

The total number of applications to McMaster is just over 30,000. The Ontario Universities Application Centre is still processing applications and will continue to update the numbers over the next few weeks.

While pleased with the success of McMaster's recruitment, acting provost Bob McNutt says the increased numbers mean getting into McMaster will be more difficult. “The Enrolment Management Team has set our enrolment targets for the next few years and we're not expecting to significantly increase our overall number of domestic undergraduate students.”

Universities across the province have been struggling to accommodate 14,000 more students than were expected in the system last year.

While the increasing number of students shows the Ontario government's goal of increasing participation in the system is being met, the money set aside in the province's Reaching Higher plan didn't provide sufficient funding for the current or projected levels of growth.

McNutt says, “It would be a shame if students who have been inspired to apply for university aren't able to get in because the base funding to universities hasn't kept pace with the number of students who want to attend.”

The number of secondary school students applying to Ontario universities increased 5.2 per cent over 2006 to 79,568. The provincial funding shortfall created by the 14,000 extra students in 2006/07 is about $100 million and that figure is expected to grow to at least $300 million a year by 2009/10.