Posted on June 19: McMaster on target for double cohort

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/residence-staff.jpg” caption=”McMaster students”]McMaster has fulfilled its commitment to taking its share of students within the double cohort.

High school students had until this past Monday to accept university offers and the Ontario University Application Centre has now finalized the numbers for this fall. At McMaster, 4,770 high school graduates have accepted first-year places, the University's enrolment target agreement with the province was 4,330 students. The target is based on a student count as of Nov. 1, 2003. McMaster's overall enrolment target for first-year this fall is 5,100 and registrar, George Granger says once you take the usual attrition rate into account he expects the University to be close to that number.

Across the province close to 72,000 students have accepted offers to university. The government had made a commitment to provide 70,000 student spaces. Eighty-one percent of applicants accepted an admission offer from one of their top three choices.

“The double cohort and the uncertainites about how students would make their decisions about university has made this an exceptionally difficult year to predict,” says president, Peter George. “All those involved in recruitment and admissions deserve credit for bringing us so close to our target enrolment. The challenge now will be to continue to work with government to ensure that we are able to maintain and enhance quality.”

George says that although the double cohort will continue to place stress on academic and support systems, he is confident that we will be ready for this fall. Construction of a new temporary building is underway, the new math centre will be open and the new residence is ready to welcome its first students.

Photo caption: McMaster students, from left, David Kennedy, Tharani Casinathen and Oriana Ly. Photo credit: Chantall Van Raay