Class of 2011 ‘reflects rich diversity of our nation’

The Class of 2011 will be the most diverse in College history.

Of the 1,324 first-years enrolling, African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, multiracial and international students make up 43 percent of the class—an all-time high for the Office of Admissions.

“The College has always taken great pride in educating intellectually talented students from all parts of our society. It is vitally important that we admit the most gifted students possible from a wide variety of backgrounds, reflecting the rich diversity of our nation at large,” said Dean of the College John Boyer.

“Historically, we have seen our mission as training future intellectual and cultural leaders, and we need to recruit these outstanding students from all areas of American society and from the world at large.”

Michael Behnke, Vice-President and Dean of College Enrollment, said he was thrilled about the record level of diversity in the Class of 2011. “Diversity is the key describing word for the entering first-year class,” he said.

Behnke noted that the total number of students who will enroll would likely reduce to around 1,300 by the time school starts in September. He added that no students would be admitted off of the Wait List this year.

The College received a record number of applications—10,382 for the 2007-2008 school year—a 9 percent increase from last year’s 9,542 and the first time in admissions history there has been more than 10,000 applicants, Behnke said.

International students make up 1,508 of the total applicants, a 19 percent increase from last year and the largest amount the College has ever received.

Of those applicants, 138 international students will enroll at Chicago in the fall, up from the 123 who enrolled last year. International students will make up 10.4 percent of the Class of 2011—an all-time high for the College.

“We are delighted that our increased international recruiting has had such a positive effect on international student applications,” Behnke said.

The total of African-American and Hispanic students who will begin their first years at Chicago this fall are also all-time high numbers: 91 African-American students, making up 7 percent of the class and 136 Hispanic students, making up 10.3 percent of the

Last year, the Office of Admissions enrolled 81 African-American students and 98 Hispanic students. Prior to last year, the highest enrollment numbers on record were 60 African-American students per first-year College class and 117 Hispanic students.

“We have a long history of attracting a significant number of Hispanic students, which was demonstrated this year especially,” Behnke said. “Now, two years in a row, we have attracted a record number of African-American students. It is extremely exciting.”

Additionally, there will be a total of 190 Asian students enrolling in the College this year, making up 14.2 percent of the class; 9 Native American students, making up .7 percent of the class; and 3 multiracial students, making up .2 percent of the class.

The numbers for Asian and Native American students have increased from last year, when the Office of Admissions enrolled 166 Asian students, for a total of 13.2 percent of the class and 6 Native American students, for a total of .5 percent of the class.

Susan Art, Dean of Students in the College, said, “Our richly diverse student body plays a crucial role in the transformative education we offer. Students learn enormous amounts from their classmates’ differing perspectives and experiences.”