Class of 2010 shows depth and diversity

The Office of College Admissions is calling this fall’s incoming first-year class the most diverse in the College’s history. “We are absolutely thrilled with the level of diversity in this class,” said Ted O’Neill, Dean of College Admissions.

The class of 1,260 students — 49 percent men and 51 percent women — represents record numbers of African-American, Latino and international students enrolled in a first-year College class.

The Class of 2010 includes 81 African-American students, 98 Latino students and 123 international students—all up significantly from last year. Until this year, the highest enrollment numbers on record were 60 African-American students per first-year College class and 117 Latino students.

This year also had the highest number of applicants the College has ever received: a total of 9,542—a 6 percent increase from last year. The number of students accepted to the University was 3,673, with 1,260 currently enrolled.

“This was a truly excellent year for us,” said Michael Behnke, Dean of College Enrollment. “On top of the record number of applicants, this was the most diverse class we’ve ever enrolled in the College.”

O’Neill credits the this talented class to the volume of applications received; something he said is evidence of the increasing interest in the University from people around the country and the world.

“We wanted this type of diversity and depth to our incoming first-years, so we worked for it and our work is paying off,” O’Neill said. “We hope this puts us on the right path for continued diversity in the coming years.”

O’Neill noted that the College’s uncommon application allows students to delve into the process in a unique way. “It brings us a terrific pool of applicants and the students really respond to it,” he said.

The students come from a variety of geographic locations as well. Thirty-four percent of incoming first-years are from the Midwest; 20 percent are from the Mid-Atlantic; 12 percent are from the West Coast; 10 percent are international; 9 percent are from New England; 9 percent are from the South; and 5 percent are from the Southwest.

The common denominator of the Class of 2010 is top-ranking SAT scores. Twenty-seven percent of the students scored a 1500 or higher; 32 percent scored between 1400 and 1490; and 26 percent scored between 1300 and 1390. Additionally, 64 percent of the students scored between 30 and 36 on the ACT.