For the second year running record numbers of students applied early to the College.

The admissions office saw a 7.6 percent increase in early action requests, rising from 2,214 applicants in 1991 to 2,397 applicants this year, said Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons '67.

The number of female applicants also continued to grow at a faster rate than the number of males, although the number of women applying is still substantially lower than the number of men.

This year 1,023 women applied early action, an increase of 8.3 percent over last year's total of 938, and 1,374 men applied early action, an increase of 7.1 percent over last year's total of 1,276, Fitzsimmons said.

The number of Black applicants increased dramatically, rising 10.6 percent--from 76 applicants last year to 85 this year. That could be good news for the College, which saw the fewest number of black students in 20 years matriculate into the Class of 1996 this fall.

Overall, the number of Hispanic applicants increased by one student but the number of Mexican-American and Puerto Rican applicants declined sharply.

Thirty-one Mexican-Americans applied early action, a 12.9 percent decrease from last year, and 15 Puerto crease.

The number of Asian-American applicants alsodecreased by 4 percent, from 603 people last yearto 580 this year.

Nine Native Americans applied early action thisyear, two more than last year.

In the category of "other minorities," therewere 98 applicants, as opposed to last year'stotal of 90.

According to Fitzsimmons there were threeunusual "regional increases" this year.

The region south of Washington, D.C. and westof, but not including, Texas had a total of 445early action applicants, a 22.9 percent increaseover last year's total of 343 applicants.

Canada had a total of 21 applicants, six morethan last year.

A total of 117 applicants submittedapplications from outside the United States, 43more than last year.

The New England area had less than a 1 percentincrease of early action candidates