Dear Students:
Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed the holidays and share my excitement at the coming spring semester. I will, like many of you, be back in one of my favorite places today—the classroom. I wanted to take a moment on the first day of class to let you know about a notable achievement over the break. As the following news release details, Winthrop University has already received a record number of freshman applications for fall 2019, surpassing a previous high from more than a decade ago. I do not believe I have ever served at a university that broke its record for applications this early in the academic year. So, while breaking the record is an accomplishment, doing it almost eight months before the start of the fall semester is truly significant.
I applaud the Access and Enrollment Management team's work to recruit new students and the efforts of the entire campus to create an environment in which prospective students and their families feel at home and want to join our community. This has been a team effort, and I extend my thanks to each of you. I look forward to continuing our efforts over the coming months as we bring in the Class of 2023.
Sincerely,
Dan
Winthrop Breaks University Record for the Number of Students Applying for Freshman Admission
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA—A record number of prospective students have applied for admission to the incoming Winthrop University Class of 2023.
The current recruiting season has seen applications for the fall 2019 freshman class—which numbered 5,341 as of January 1—eclipse the previous mark of 5,328 from fall 2006.
“Two of the most important goals in the Winthrop Plan have been to build the reputation of the institution and to increase enrollment, and our efforts have been wide-ranging over the past few years," said Winthrop President Dan Mahony. "With record interest from prospective students and families, we are confident that the appeal of the Winthrop experience has never been stronger. We are still almost eight months away from the start of the fall semester, and to break the record this early is very unusual and truly a significant accomplishment."
Vice President for Access and Enrollment Management Eduardo Prieto concurred, noting that applications to Winthrop University are up across all South Carolina markets, including the major population centers.
"Our largest increases have been in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville/Spartanburg, and Rock Hill/York County," said Prieto. "Additionally, we are up slightly out of state."
Mahony credited the efforts of the entire campus community for the record number of applications.
"We have collectively offered unparalleled customer service and a welcoming environment where prospective students are treated like family," he noted. "The large increase in interest in Winthrop among prospective freshmen demonstrates that this strong student-centered focus at the university is resonating with these students and their families."
During the 2018–19 recruitment season there has been an increase in travel across the state with a strong presence in geographic areas that have historically produced successful Winthrop students. The recruitment team has put additional emphasis on digital communications and the value of the Winthrop experience, which offers national-caliber academics, civic engagement opportunities, high quality undergraduate research experiences, and global connections, all in a beautiful campus setting.
Winthrop has a rolling admissions cycle, so applications will continue to be received and reviewed until the start of the fall 2019 semester. However, applications must be complete and submitted by Feb. 1, 2019, to receive merit scholarship consideration.
For more information on Winthrop's recruitment efforts, please contact Prieto at prietoe@winthrop.edu or call 803/323-2191.
