Answer: Disregarding that 35%, the answer is 8,900 students. The total applications is the amount of the total. The boys were just a 40% of the 8,900, meaning that the 3,560 was only a part of a whole. To get the answer, you must divide 3,560 by .4 or 40%. This should get you 8,900 as a result.
3,560/8,900 [the male applicants]
3,560/.4 [the edging to find the remaining 60%]
8,900 [the total amount]