Application totals at Citadel for 2010 highest ever in 5 categories

Applications for the 2010 freshman class at The Citadel broke five records, officials said Thursday.

The military college has received 2,568 applications so far this year, which breaks the record of 2,363 applications set last year, said retired Marine Lt. Col. John Powell, director of admissions.

Applications for women, minority students, black students and South Carolina residents also set records this year, he said. And he expects actual enrollment to mirror those records.

The Citadel, like other schools in the state, accepts more students than there are freshman spaces available, Powell said. The school's goal is to have a class of between 725 and 750 students.

There are about 800 in the active admission process, he said, but some of them likely won't be there on matriculation day.

Of those 800 students in the active admission process, 64 are women. The previous record for female enrollment was 53. And 187 are minority students, up from the previous record of 120; 94 of those are black students, up from 63; and 394 applicants are South Carolina residents.

The number of in-state freshmen usually ranges from 275 to 325, Powell said.

The school brought in the record number of applications by expanding its recruitment reach, refining its message and promoting its leadership-training program, Powell said.

"Across the board," he said, "students who go to The Citadel are looking for something different."

He often hears people say that many young people today are looking for instant gratification. But many students also are looking for a challenge, he said. "That's who's knocking at our doors."

Clarissa Lugo, assistant director of admissions, said one of the reasons the number of applications for women might be up is because she works closely with women who express interest in attending or learning more about The Citadel.

She encourages all students to visit the campus to make sure they are comfortable with the environment and rigors of the military and academic programs. "But I really encourage the visit with our women," she said.

Justin Pearson, associate director of admissions, said he continues to try new ways to reach minority students, including attending minority recruitment fairs and calling on minority alumni of The Citadel to help reach potential students.

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Powell said he thinks more South Carolina residents applied this year because they think the school is a good buy and because graduates learn skills that make them more employable. That's especially important in the current economic climate, he said.

"We don't look for ways to exclude students," he said. "We look for ways to include. But we have to get them to take a look at us, to consider us."

Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.