UNC enrolled 145 freshman Merit Scholars for the 2001-02 school year, up from 137 last fall.
"Carolina is in a fortunate position where it doesn't have to sell itself," said Dan Thornton, spokesman for the UNC Office of Scholarships and Student Aid. "We rank in about the top 10 (for Merit Scholars enrolled)."
UNC enrolled few merit scholars until 1999, when the school began providing scholarships to National Merit scholars in conjunction with the National Merit Scholarship Corperation. In 1998 only 38 scholars enrolled. The number increased to 92 students in fall 1999.
"That's what I expected would happen," said Jerome Lucido, UNC director of undergraduate admissions. "We didn't participate historically because we didn't want an independent agency to determine our scholarship winners."
Lucido said he thinks other schools were recruiting hard and taking National Merit Scholars away from the UNC applicant pool until UNC became a National Merit sponsor.
"We didn't do it to simply increase our number of Merit Scholars or to raise our rank in a book," Lucido said. "These very bright students are already considering us. We are saying to them, 'The University of North Carolina wants to recognize and celebrate your achievement.'"
The list of colleges enrolling the highest number of freshman Merit Scholars showed significant changes this year.
Princeton University enrolled 156 freshman Merit Scholars for the 2001-02 school year, up 50 from last year -- the largest increase in the country. Harvard University led the nation with 360 freshman scholars, down from 382.
Gloria Ladendorf, spokeswoman for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, said finalists are usually admitted to a number of universities.
