"We don't go out and recruit for early decision [applicants]. The people who apply are self-selected," said Royer, but added that "we do an excellent job of attracting minorities."
Royer said last year's general pool of more than 2000 applicants included 500 Black women, while almost a quarter of the 500 students in last year's freshman class identified themselves as minorities. Of these, the largest percentage was Asian, the next largest was Black, and the smallest was Hispanic, she said.
"There are problems in finding qualified Black applicants; a lot of the high school students are not prepared," Royer told the Columbia Spectator.
Columbia University and Barnard College have a need-blind admissions policy, and students who are accepted learn at once whether they are eligible for financial aid, said Royer.
However, she and Columbia Director of Admissions James McMenamin told The Spectator that the colleges' aid policies may discourage students who would depend heavily on it.
McMenamin said that early decision students do not find out how much and they will receive until April of their senior years, after they have accepted admission to Columbia or Barnard. Royer said 90 percent of Barnard's Black students receive financial aid. Princeton
University Changes Words Of Alma Mater
Memories of bright college days will change a little at Princeton University, which plans to change the words of its official song to reflect the fact that some the school's loyal progeny are now female.
TheDaily Princetonian reported last month that the new version of "Old Nassau" will replace the words "my boys" with "we sing," and "her sons" with "our hearts."
A movement to alter the lyrics of the alma mater began last fall when Janet Sarbanes '89 called for the change in a student publication.
It received approval from Princeton's undergraduate student government, trustees, and Alumni Council, but fell afoul of sophomore class president David Littell, who secured a referendum on the question. However, only 7 percent of the students who voted opposed the change in lyrics, which has since become official.
Written by freshman Harlan Page Peck in 1859, the song changed once before, adopting its current melody when it proved impossible to set the lyrics to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne." MIT
No Paper, No Graduate For Seniors
More than one hundred MIT seniors may not graduate in June because they have not yet satisfied the school's writing requirement,The MIT Tech reported last week.
The horde of 107 procrastinating techies missed the March 1 deadline to submit a ten-page paper to a committee that judges whether it demonstrates sufficient writing ability. The only way the students can pass the requirement and graduate on time is to add a writing course to their schedule and earn a B or better.
The class of 1987 is the first to be subject to MIT's writing requirement.
Dean for Undergraduate Education Margaret L.A. MacVicar said she was "rather astonished that so many students waited to the last minute" to fulfill the requirement, but that no exceptions to the writing rule will be considered.
MacVicar said the MIT faculty is divided over whether to inform the parents of those who will not be allowed to graduate in June. MIT has traditionally communicated with students only, but "some parents may be surprised when they find their kids aren't graduating, "MacVicar told The Tech.