Applications for admission to Harvard-Radcliffe College increased 3 percent this year, according to Director of Admissions Maryln McGrath Lewis '70.

Countering national demographic trends, the College received 13,006 applications for 1605 spaces, a 12,589 increase over last year's figure, Lewis said.

"Demographic changes would predict a smaller number of applicants for us this year," said Lewis. "We've obviously run counter to that trend."

The number of applications from women increased by a 6 percent to 5704 and represented 44 percent of the applicant pool.

And of the total number of applicants, approximately 33 percent indicated they are minorities. An additional 3.4 percent used the new "other" category created for students who belong to more than one ethnic group.

Foreign applicants went down 2.6 percent from last year, but Lewis called this "an insignificant decrease."

Lewis cited many reasons for the increase in applications, including Harvard's need-blind admissions policy.

"I'm certain that one factor must be the awareness by families and students that we admit candidates without regard to financial need," Lewis said.

Director of Financial Aid James S. Miller agreed with Lewis, adding that the admissions staff has stepped up efforts to inform students of Harvard's need-blind financial aid by a mailing campaign.

"We identify students whom we feel are promising scholars and write to themin a direct mail campaign," Miller said. "Weencourage them to consider Harvard as a viableoption."

Lewis added that the efforts of the admissionsstaff, a alumni and students also help increasethe applicant pool.

"We continue to energetically recruit studentswho would be potential good matches for Harvardand Radcliffe," Lewis said.

The Harvard name, said Miller, also continuesto be a significant factor in the large number ofapplicants the College receives each year.

According to Miller, the number of highschool seniors will begin to rise after 1994-95,although some regions of the country may notexperience that trend until much later.

"The New England region will not begin to turnaround as quickly as other parts of the country,"Miller said.

The admissions committee began the selectionprocess on February 7 and will finish on March 23.Notification letters will be mailed on April 1 at12:01 a.m., Miller said