August 2004

Class of 2008 Enters as Most Academically Competitive in AU History

More than 1,250 freshmen started their college careers at AU this week. These new students, who make up the Class of 2008, come from more than 46 states and 38 countries.

This year more than 12,200 applications were submitted to the admissions office. The average high school GPA of the incoming freshmen class is a 3.5 (out of a 4.0) and the mid-range of SAT-1 scores fell between 1190 and 1340.

“This is the most competitive class yet at AU,” reports Susan Hertz, associate director of Enrollment Services and Marketing. The difficulty and competitiveness of being admitted to AU is getting harder each year. Hertz says the office of admissions looked this year not only for students in good academic standing, but for those who demonstrated great leadership qualities and received a rigorous high school education.

In keeping with the AU tradition, more women (65 percent) than men (35 percent) were admitted this year. Geographically, more than 15 percent of the incoming class are from the New England region, 13 percent are from New York alone, and 10 percent are from the south. Of the international students accepted, 40 percent are from Europe, 27 percent are from Asia, and 20 percent are from Canada and South America.

Incoming freshmen will receive more than $15 million in nonneed-based aid, which includes merit scholarships, athletic scholarships, and tuition exchange. Three out of every five students in the 2008 class will receive some form of financial aid, totaling about $23 million.

-Alexandra Wurster, Class of 2006

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