Georgetown’s acceptance rate dropped slightly to reach an all-time low of 16.5 percent this admissions cycle, after a year in which a record number of applications were received.

Of the 20,111 total applicants to the Class of 2016, 3,316 were accepted. Last year, 3,468 of 19,275 applicants were admitted, marking an 18 percent acceptance rate.

According to Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Charles Deacon, the lower admit rate means that the university was able to be even more selective.

“By all measures, the quality and diversity of this year’s incoming freshman class is higher than in the past,” Deacon said.

This year, the admitted pool also saw a 3 percent increase in the number of minority students.

According to Deacon, 10 percent of admitted students are African American, 11 percent are Hispanic or Latino, 15 percent are Asian American and 1.5 percent are Native American.

He added that the number of multiracial students applying and being accepted to Georgetown has also increased.

In keeping with previous years, the College was the most selective of the four schools, with a 15.8 percent acceptance rate, trailed by the McDonough School of Business, the Walsh School of Foreign Service and the School of Nursing and Health Studies, with acceptance rates of 16.8 percent, 17.8 percent and 17.9 percent respectively.

Deacon expects the number of legacy students to remain stable at about 10 percent of the student body. Of the 715 legacy students — sons or daughters of alumni — who applied, 243 were accepted, and the expected yield from this group is 60 percent or above.  Student athletes are also expected to compose 10 percent of the class.

At least one student was admitted from each of the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. New York, California and New Jersey were the states with the most students accepted.  The admitted pool also includes 311 international students.

According to Deacon, the admissions office will need to see a yield of 50 percent or lower in order to take students off the waiting list, which it was not able to do last year.

“Georgetown seems to be a desirable place for kids to come,” Deacon said.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that 3,466 of 19,725 applicants were accepted in 2011, marking a 16.8 percent acceptance rate. The actual number of admitted students is 3,468 of 19,275 applicants, marking an 18 percent rate. The corrected version was posted at 12:44 p.m. on April 2.