Despite the bitter winter, the Admissions Office is looking a little further ahead to fall of next year, when the class of 2019 will arrive.

All applications have been submitted, and all decisions have been made for the students who applied early action.

On February 14, the college hosted an open house specifically for such students.

This winter’s abudance of snow has posed a challenge for the Admissions Office’s ability to get prospective students to campus.

It snows every winter in New Hampshire, so they automatically set a snow date for the Early Action Open House, but with a winter like this it is hard to take chances.

Eric Nichols, Dean of Admission, said that they considered using the snow date for the February 14 Open House because of a blizzard warning, but decided against it because the snow was not expected to begin until later in the afternoon.

With families traveling all over New England to come, there were some no-shows and cancellations. Out of approximately 800 registrated guests, 700 came.

That is a higher disparity than usual, but the turnout was still exceptional based on the fact that there was a blizzard warning in effect.

The snow didn’t deter everyone away, but some of the later sessions were sparsely attended as people left early to beat the storm’s arrival.

This was the second year that the college had an Early Action Open House.

There was one scheduled for 2013, but the storm Nemo hit and cancelled it all together.

Last year, the event was a huge success, and this year went well despite the weather.

Nichols found that it was necessary to have an earlier Open House than the one in April so that students would have a chance to come to campus well before the decision date of May 1.

Many similar schools also have Early Action Open Houses, such as Saint Michael’s, Assumption, and Stonehill, and Nichols thought Saint Anselm was missing an opportunity, so he started the February event.

While there are only two big Admissions events every year, the February Open House and the April Open House, the college does offer opportunities for students to visit five days a week.

There are tours offered by appointment, 26 different Anselmian Preview Days, where high school students take a class with a Saint Anselm student, and smaller admissions events.

For prospective students who are unable to make it to campus, there are receptions off site in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, where families can come learn about the school without having to travel far.

This past week was the February vacation week for schools in Massachusetts and it was not as busy as usual.

The following week is New Hampshire’s February break, and the registration numbers are as usual, but there is snow being watched in the forecast that may put some people off from traveling.

Nichols noted that 70% of students who come to events will deposit.

Additionally, there is a 10% increase of applicants over last year, which is an impressive jump in a time where Liberal Arts Colleges are sometimes struggling.

Nichols also expressed great appreciation for the community for their help in making prospective students feel so welcomed.

He noted the exceptional Student Ambassadors that guide tours, as well others who help at larger events.

“A lot of these events are on Saturdays, and we have so many of our staff, faculty, and students willing to come out at nine or ten on a weekend…It is difficult to have these types of programs without having a community you can rally around, which we do.”