"The recruitment processes for women have been in place for a long time, and this year is no different," he said.
Fitzsimmons said the admissions office has "great expectations" for the incoming class, but acknowledged that he and his staff "probably won't be alive" when the true strength of the class is revealed.
"We look at it in two ways," Fitzsimmons said. "What will people do over the next four years? But then what will people contribute over the course of their lives?"
He partly attributed the rising number of applicants to aggressive recruiting efforts.
And this spring, it begins again. Admissions staff will visit 50 cities, meeting with parents, students and guidance counselors, according to Director of Admissions Marlyn McGrath Lewis '70-'73.
Staff members will visit 50 more cities in September and October, she said.
"Joint travel has allowed us to reach parents directly in a way that daytime school visits never did," Fitzsimmons said.
Fitzsimmons said the numbers of applicants could continue to grow until at least 2008.
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