As the end of second semester nears, Latin is preparing to welcome an entire new freshman class to the high school. Students from a wide variety of neighborhoods take the ISEE test, interview with the admissions office, and are evaluated until the admissions office narrows their enrollment down to around 50 individuals. However, considering the abnormally high yield rates of the past two years, the process of accepting and rejecting prospective ninth graders has become more involved. This year, new methods have been put in place to ensure that the school is appropriately regulating the number of students allowed in. 
Following 2018’s unusual admissions cycle, the first important consideration in terms of planning for Latin’s class of 2024 was quantity. Sara Salzman, Associate Director of Enrollment Management, shares, “We will be accepting fewer students this year.” This is by design. Latin has always prided itself on remaining an extremely tight-knit community, which is a direct result of its uniquely small class sizes. “One of the reasons I was so excited to attend Latin was how close of a community it is, and I noticed this right away when I shadowed for the first time,” says current freshman Quinn Lovette. If classes continue to grow in size, it could pose a potential threat to the appeal of Latin. Thankfully, changes have been put in place.
In past years, another main focus as the new academic year rolls around has been the yield. A greater yield indicates a greater interest in enrolling at a particular school. “While it’s always hard to predict our yield, we’re planning on a yield around 75%, which is very good,” Salzman notes. The high percentage is a testament to how competitive this year’s application process was, receiving nearly 320 applications for a mere 55 spots. Salzman also added, “A tricky piece often can be predicting how many of our current 8th grade Latin students might go elsewhere for high school. Last year, around five left, but that number can vary by a few from year to year.” These aspects are often what make the admissions process so difficult, and a statistic like this one that can vary so greatly per year has been a determining factor in acceptances and rejections. 
With March 6th being the confirmed release date for admissions decisions, one last element is required in order for new incoming ninth graders to be fully immersed into the Latin high school community: Revisit Day. This celebration of sorts is the new students’ time in the spotlight; it consists of a school day full of activities that show future students what it really means to be a Roman. 
“Last year, we switched to doing a more typical gathering that showcased our community time in an authentic and fun way. We will do the same this year – a traditional gathering with a celebratory vibe,” Salzman continued. Over the past five years, these days have proven especially successful, and much of this is to do with the energy of current high schoolers as they welcome newcomers to Latin. 
Current freshman Megen Sanaj shares, “Last year, my revisit day was an eyeopener. I was able to ask questions, become more excited about being an incoming freshman at a whole new school, and most of all, I felt welcomed.”
“Revisit Day allowed me to understand the full experience of being a student at Latin everyday,” Quinn also says. It seems that everyone is confident that this year will be just as successful as those of the past. 
Seeing as the entire school has prepared to greet new students for a few weeks now, everyone is eager to see what it will be like to welcome the class of 2024 to the halls of Latin. The student body anticipates some incredible new peers, and it has the admissions office to thank for that. Ms. Salzman, along with many others, have worked tirelessly to ensure that everything runs smoothly, from Revisit Day to the first day of school in the fall. Now, all there is left to do is wait.