The number of applications for admissions to Radcliffe was seven percent higher this year than last, Miss Constance E. Ballou, dean of admissions, disclosed yesterday.

The Class of 1961, however, will be slightly smaller than last fall's entering class, Miss Ballou said. She explained that the size of the class is dictated by the amount of housing space available. It is believed that the housing shortage for next year is related to the fact that this year's graduating class is somewhat smaller than usual.

The dean attached no great significance to the rise in applications, suggesting that the behavior of such figures tends to be erratic.

Unlike the Annex, Smith College and Vassar College showed no noticeable increases in applications this year, according to the directors of admissions at these schools. Miss Jane Sehmann, director of admissions at Smith, said yesterday that the college has received between 2150 and 2200 applications, and will admit a freshman class of about 600.

Smith is the only Big Seven women's college which will release figures on the total number of applicants. The admissions departments of the other schools feel that a comparison of these large figures to the smaller numbers of students who can be admitted might deter prospective students from applying, the Radcliffe dean explained.

Statistics on applications are not yet available from the other schools in the women's Seven College Conference. At all of them, committees on admissions are now in the process of meeting. Acceptances from Radcliffe will be mailed on May 16.