On heels of record enrollment this fall, MC Admissions applications, deposits trend even higher for 2024-25 academic year
Dec. 12, 2023
The news just keeps getting better: Maryville College welcomed one of the largest first-year classes in recent history this fall, and applications and first-year deposits for Fall 2024 are trending even higher. While the MC Admissions staff isn’t ready to uncork the champagne just yet, MC’s campus may be bursting at the seams with newly minted Scots at the launch of the 2024-25 academic year.
According to MC Admissions figures, first-year applications as of Dec. 1 are almost 27% greater than last year’s numbers. Transfer student applications are almost 79% higher, and first-year deposits — fees to secure an admissions slot — are up roughly 46% from this point in 2022.
“The fact that the deposits correlate with such an increase in applications is a good sign of just how robust the student population might be this time next year,” said Dr. Alayne Bowman, vice president of Admissions and Financial Aid at MC. “We’ve tracked a steady increase each year in the number of applications Maryville College receives, but I don’t think we’ve ever reached a milestone of applicants trending more than 25% higher than the previous year.”
“While this remains a precarious time for many small colleges, we’re proud to be defying the odds at Maryville, with increased student enrollment and growing philanthropic support,” added MC President Dr. Bryan Coker. “We’re being recognized as an institution on the move, located in one of the world’s very best locations for learning.”
The increase in applications and deposits dovetails with the number of major projects and endeavors the College expects to complete or continue in 2024. Construction is already under way on the Maryville College Downtown Center, announced last spring as a hub in the downtown area to serve the Hospitality and Regional Identity major and Fermentation Science minor. According to Coker, the renovations of the historic building, located at 205 Court St., are expected to be complete by summer 2024.
At the same time, Coker expects the plans for a new environmental education and science institute to generate even more interest in — and support for — the College. The institute will serve as home for three College divisions — Natural Sciences, Health Sciences and Outdoor Studies, and Mathematics and Computer Science. Aiding in planning for the institute is Dr. Lars Hedin from Princeton University, who recently visited campus and consulted with faculty on the major project. Retired U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander is assisting Coker in planning and fundraising for what will be a multimillion-dollar endeavor.
“The future institute for environmental education and the sciences holds the potential to be a true game-changer for Maryville College and the surrounding area,” Coker said. “The facility will be located on the large grassy area of campus, which sits at the intersection of Washington Street and Lamar Alexander Parkway, literally on the road to the Great Smoky Mountains.”
In addition, the implementation of the recently announced $2.25 million Title III grant, which will focus upon academic success rates and opportunities for marginalized students, will soon begin. Further, the national search for a new dean and vice president of the College to succeed the beloved Dr. Dan Klingensmith, who will return to the classroom at the end of the 2023-24 academic year, has led to an outstanding pool of qualified candidates.
“There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to what’s happening here at Maryville College,” Bowman said. “We feel like the increase in applicants and deposits is a reflection of that excitement, and we can’t wait to continue to build on the legacy of this historic institution with fresh faces and new additions to the distinguished family of Scots alumni who continue to ‘do good on the largest possible scale.’”
And, Bowman and Coker added, there’s always room for more: Campus tours take place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and the final “Meet Maryville” event of the academic year — an opportunity for interested high school and transfer students to tour Maryville College, interact with faculty and initiate the Admissions and Financial Aid process — will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20.
“Even if they attend a Meet Maryville program, we encourage students to schedule an individual visit at a later date, which can be more personalized,” Bowman said.
For more information about scheduling a campus tour, please call the MC Admissions staff at 865.981.8092, or visit maryvillecollege.edu/visit.