Ithaca College has received a record number of undergraduate applications for the fall of 2012.

Eric Maguire, vice president of enrollment and communication, said the college has received 13,786 applications for the upcoming fall semester, exceeding the previous record of 13,546 applications from fall 2008 by a margin of 240 students.

The number is expected to grow to about 13,820 once some incomplete applications are finalized.

He said research to find the cause for the increase in applicants will be conducted after all applications are reviewed.

“We’ll still do some analysis afterward through our review process,” he said. “We haven’t had the time to go back and reflect as to why our applications are increasing.”

Maguire said the high number of applications does not guarantee that a similarly large number of students will enroll in the fall.

“Applicant totals do not always translate into enrolled students,” he said.

The college hopes for about 1,600 to 1,650 freshmen to enroll for the 2012-13 academic year.

The college will distribute acceptance letters and  financial aid packages by April.