Last modified: Wednesday, August 29, 2007
IU's new freshman class sets academic records
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 29, 2007
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- For the second year in a row, incoming freshmen students at Indiana University Bloomington are setting records for academic preparedness.
The 7,208 freshmen who began classes this week have an average combined SAT score of 1,146, the highest ever for a freshman class and 25 points above last year's record-setting average of 1,121. The increases come in a year when the national average SAT score declined by four points to 1,017 and the state average dropped three points to 1,004.
This year's freshmen also represent the highest high school achievement levels in recent years. More than 30 percent of them were in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, and two-thirds of them were in the top 25 percent. Last year, 27 percent of freshmen were in the top 10 percent and 61 percent were in the top 25 percent.
"This extraordinarily well-prepared freshman class is indicative of the momentum for academic excellence that we are building in Bloomington," said IU President Michael A. McRobbie. "We have always had a strong faculty, and now the word is really getting out to young people everywhere who are looking for a first-rate academic experience."
Applications to IU Bloomington were up 18 percent from last year. Of the 28,528 applicants, just under 70 percent were offered admittance. Last year, 24,169 applications were received and just under 80 percent were admitted.
"We're glad to know that Indiana's brightest and best-prepared students are recognizing that IU offers them a first-rate education, with top-quality faculty and a cohort of students who are motivated and well-prepared for college," said Karen Hanson, Bloomington provost and executive vice president. "We will remain dedicated to building on this recruitment success, increasing both the quality and the diversity of our student body and offering all these wonderful students an exceptional college education."
This year's class included 70 National Merit Scholarship finalists, compared to 62 last year and 29 the year before.
"We are extremely proud of this incoming class," said Roger Thompson, vice provost for enrollment managament. "It stands as the most academically prepared class in the history of IU. If you look at the increase in test scores, it is clear that IU is becoming the university of choice for more of Indiana's best and brightest high school students."
Thompson pointed out that this freshman class also is the most diverse that has attended IU Bloomington, with about 18 percent of the student population identifying themselves as Asian American, African American, Hispanic, Native American, International or other.
The class profile also shows that 41 percent of this year's freshmen were from outside Indiana, up slightly from last year's 39 percent.
Thompson said this was partly due to a sharp increase in the number of out-of-state applications. He said that may change next year because several new scholarship programs for Hoosier high school students are expected to attract even more in-state applicants.
