Ellie Park, Multimedia Managing Editor

Last Thursday, juniors submitted applications to the First-Year Counselor — or FroCo — program. The number of applicants marks a record high, with 358 students hoping to be considered for the position.

The number of applicants has increased from 183 to 242 to 358 over the past years, according to Ferentz Lafargue GRD ’05, head of the FroCo program. He added that this year, the average number of first years assigned to each counselor will be reduced from 13-16 to 12-13. To adjust for this shift, the total number of FroCos will increase from 120 to 132.

“Becoming a FroCo is a competitive process,” Lafargue said. 

According to Lafargue, in recent years, the program has increased advertising for the application, using YaleConnect among other platforms. 

First-year counselors also receive compensation equivalent to the value of the room and board fees, $19,900 for the 2024-25 school year. The 2023-24 class of FroCos was the first to be guaranteed full room and board, which was extended to all future FroCo classes.

“I know a lot of students apply to be FroCos because it’s an interesting job and an important job,” said Dean of Yale College Pericles Lewis. “I don’t think the fees are the major factor in why they decide.”

His remarks were echoed by Zeki Tan ’25, a current FroCo at Pauli Murray College. Tan noted that while the job benefits were substantial, this compensation was secondary to his decision to become a counselor. He emphasized that he wanted to act as a mentor for the first years. 

The first round of applications consisted of written responses. Selected students will move on to an interview with the dean and head of their respective residential colleges. Applicants will also have an opportunity to be considered for a FroCo position in another college. 

While the number of applicants within each college fluctuates yearly “without any clear patterns,” Lafargue said, he observed that applicants usually apply to their own residential college. 

However, heads of colleges and deans can at times decide to include candidates from other residential colleges when selecting FroCo teams. Lafargue told the News that the program had aimed to simplify this process this year.

This year, applicants will also learn whether they were selected earlier, according to Lafargue, which will simplify their room draw process and planning for senior year. The current FroCo application cycle follows a change in the housing draw, with rising seniors receiving equal priority to rising juniors in the upcoming housing process.

Elijah Bakaleynik ’25, a current FroCo, noted that he had hoped to “give back” to the community. He added that the application process itself had allowed him to reflect on his motivations behind becoming a FroCo.

“Whether it’s different duty activities, or whether it is [having] an active social media on Instagram, try to think creatively on ways that you can help make the transition to college a welcoming and fun one,” said Jerry Feng ’25, offering advice to future FroCos.

The First-Year Counselor program was established in 1938.