George Washington University Gets Pickier

With more students applying, the percentage of applicants being accepted has fallen. Here's some advice from the undergrad director of admissions

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Kathryn Napper
George Washington University Aaron Miller

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A school's location certainly affects on the type of student who attends—and succeeds. George Washington University's School of Business is a prime example. Set in Washington, D.C.,'s Foggy Bottom, GW is literally within walking distance of the White House, the Lincoln and Washington monuments, countless other government buildings, and several major businesses.

So most GW students are a little bit more focused, driven, grounded, mature, and worldly than some other college students, says Kathryn Napper, director of undergraduate admissions. "And I use the words a 'little bit more,'" she says. "I think these kids want a nice balance between academics and the world. A kid that's totally focused one way or the other may get lost."

Napper should know. She's been at GW for the past 30 years and has held her current position for 10. She earned all three degrees at the university—her undergraduate degree in education, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in higher education. Throughout her career, Napper has seen GW go through many phases. This year, the school accepted a record low 37% of applicants, down from 49% five years ago. It received about 19,600 applications this year.

Napper recently spoke to BusinessWeek.com reporter Julie Gordon about admissions. Here is an edited transcript of their chat:

How has the admissions process changed in recent years?

Because there are more students going to college, it's become more competitive over the past five years. GW has, in the last 15, really done a lot to bolster its academic presence in a variety of manners. When the president [Stephen Joel Trachtenberg] came in, he did a lot of things to bolster us because he wanted to put us on the map. And he's done that.

That, coupled with the fact that admissions has become more competitive in general, has really moved us ahead dramatically. I think we're probably one of the institutions that has changed a lot in the last 10 to 15 years in terms of students coming, student satisfaction, quality of students—that whole deal.

Does quality of students necessarily improve when there's more competition?

There's more competition and also the fact that we're offering a better product. While the Harvards and the Princetons of the world also were moving ahead because of competition, I don't think they did it as drastically from where they were.

Besides more students actually applying to college, why has the admissions process become so competitive?

I think the media have added to it. I think the colleges have added to it too. The whole ranking system has made it crazy. The parents out there now come from a different generation—I'm one of them—who are looking at name brand very much. What came first is hard to say. I think it's all wrapped in there together. And what's going to change it? We always want better for our kids.

Is GW now a name brand?

Yes. I think it really has come up. I think more and more students are looking at us as a No. 1 institution for them. We have been categorized as a hot institution for a number of years—[especially among] urban institutions.

When students apply to GW, they apply to general undergrad admissions. What happens if you want to major in business?

We require that you apply to a particular school.

Do potential business students automatically get into the business school if they are accepted by the university?

Yes.

How many students come in as early decision applicants?

Thirty-seven percent of the class.