Ithaca College has announced a record 18,208 applicants for the Class of 2018. The college has also accepted a smaller margin of students, 57.4 percent of applicants, than in the past five years.

The substantial growth of the applicant pool, and the smaller ratio of acceptances to applications, opens the possibility for the college to become more competitive with future incoming classes.

This year, the college hopes to enroll 1,700 students, or roughly 16 percent, from the list of 10,455 accepted applicants. While the applicant pool for the college has grown from 15,658 in 2013 to 18,208 in 2014, the total number of admits has only gone up by about 26 students, from 10,429 to 10,455. Overall, the proportion of accepted students to applicants has shrunk.

A larger applicant pool allows the college to be more selective with who gets in. This greater selectivity could have a positive impact on the college’s academic rigor and the diversity of its student body.

According to the Office of Admission, the proportion of enrolled students who identify as international or African, Latino, Asian or Native American has increased at a higher rate this year than the general increase in applicants. The college experiences issues with identity and microaggressions, but a growing number of international and ALANA students could bring more voices and diversity to campus to improve the campus climate.

If the college maintains the current number of students it accepts while the total applicant pool grows, it will be able to accept stronger, more diverse students. It will also make the college more competitive and a degree from the college more attractive to employers.