Eastern Attracts Strong Freshman Class
Willimantic, CT (09/25/2018) — Eastern Connecticut State University's freshman class this fall is larger than last year's class and has strong academic credentials.
The freshman class of 967 full-time students is five percent larger than the freshman class of fall 2017. The academic standing of entering freshmen also increased, with average SAT scores up 15 points. In addition, the average GPA has gone up for the third consecutive year. The percentage of Eastern freshmen this year who were in the top 10 percent and top 25 percent of their high school class went up three and four percentage points respectively.
"The size of high school graduating classes in Connecticut and across New England has been declining the past few years due to changing demographics," explained Chris Dorsey, director of admissions. "With colleges and universities challenged to maintain enrollments, having an increase in our freshman class is gratifying. It tells us that students continue to see Eastern as an excellent educational opportunity."
While more than 85 percent of Eastern students come from Connecticut, the University's incoming class also includes students from 20 other states, including California, Texas, Iowa, Mississippi and Kansas, as well as from Norway, Ghana, Venezuela and Uzbekistan.
"With their fresh insights and intellectual curiosity, combined with outstanding academic qualifications, I am confident this freshman class will make their own special contributions to our campus community," said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. "They are continuing proof that Eastern is attracting some of Connecticut's best students."
Written by Ed Osborn
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving more than 5,300 students annually at its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. In addition to attracting students from 163 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 26 other states and 20 other countries. A residential campus offering 40 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in an array of applied learning opportunities. Ranked the 25th top public university in the North Region by U.S. News and World Report in its 2018 Best College ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review eight years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
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