Heading into week, more RoHos still needed

April 19, 2010, 1:06 a.m.

Correction: In an earlier version of this story, The Daily incorrectly reported the number of registered room hosts, which was obtained by Admit Weekend organizers. There were 1,380 registered at press time on Sunday, not 1,480.

A record number of prospective freshmen have signed up to attend Admit Weekend, which starts Thursday, leaving coordinators in a scramble to ensure that there will be enough room hosts to accommodate next weekend’s 1,335 expected “ProFros.”

Julie Lythcott-Haims ’89, the dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising, sent an e-mail to upperclassmen on Friday encouraging them to be “RoHos,” imploring: “Don’t let Harvard, Yale, Princeton or CAL win! Sign up today and save a ProFro from CAL!”

“The good news is that there are a lot of kids who want to come and celebrate their admissions,” said Dean of Admission Richard Shaw.

“We sent out the request for more volunteers so that students will step up to the plate and help get the job done,” he added.

Admit Weekend Coordinator Norma Bonilla ’12 said the matching process between the ProFros and approximately 1,380 current RoHos is underway.

So, why the need for more?

According to Shaw, to provide flexibility. On Sunday, 32 ProFros remained unmatched because there is a lack of male RoHos, and some have allergies that need to be taken into account.

E-mails were sent to several lists asking for students–including upperclassmen–who live in a residence with a Resident Fellow to sign up to host a Profro; RoHos could also host multiple ProFros if needed. At press time, sign-ups were still open.

“I think upperclassmen will make great hosts because they’ve been here longer and have that much more to say about the Stanford experience,” wrote Lythcott-Haims in an e-mail to The Daily. “Some ProFros may feel a bit nervous about staying with someone older, but I imagine that concern will be swiftly alleviated.”

According to Shaw, the current number of registered RoHos is “in line with” last year’s, but the increase of ProFros by approximately 400 means more hosts are needed.

“Everything is going to be full,” Shaw said. “There are a lot of parents coming–as many or more as ProFros.”

Coordinators have not made any changes to the weekend’s programming because of the surge in R.S.V.P.s.

“So far, it seems it’s going to be okay,” Bonilla said.

“It’s good news,” Shaw added. “Stanford is very desirable and popular. These numbers being up are good news, and we’re working hard to make sure we provide ProFros with a good experience.”

Asked what these numbers mean for the future of the Class of 2014, both Lythcott-Haims and Shaw were unsure.

“I think it means we may be in for a record number of freshmen!” Lythcott-Haims said. “As someone who loves freshmen, I’m thrilled, but practically speaking, it could really spell trouble for housing and the other services that are allocated on a per-student basis.”

Shaw said that while students on the waitlist could potentially be admitted, things would “depend on this coming weekend.”

“[There are] a lot of ifs,” he said. “Not sure what to predict in terms of class, but we will not be over. We will be within target.”

Stanford admitted 2,300 applicants on March 26; another 998 were waitlisted.

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