According to the Office of Admissions, the Class of 2014 will be the most academically qualified group of students the college has had to date.
"This is definitely the strongest pool of applicants we've ever seen," said Kris Shay, director of admissions.
Applicants for the Class of 2013 had an average SAT score of 1341 and an average high school grade point average of 94. The profile for the Class of 2014 is forthcoming since accepted students have until May 1 to decide whether or not to attend Geneseo.
The college received nearly 11,000 applications for 935 openings in the incoming freshman class. According to admissions, about 30 to 35 percent of the applicants were accepted with the expectation that approximately a quarter of accepted applicants will ultimately matriculate.
The selection has been even tighter this year since the planned size of this year's incoming class has been decreased by 75 students in order to maintain a reasonable student-to-faculty ratio amidst a constraining fiscal environment.
In its admissions materials, Geneseo bills itself as a public honors college offering an educational experience comparable to that offered by colleges such as Cornell University, Colgate University, Vassar College, Boston College, Hamilton College and the University of Rochester at a public price.
More than 900 students attended this year's Preview Days program, which concluded on Tuesday. "We want to entice people to the school by meeting the students and faculty," said David Irwin, media relations manager.
Shay said that much of Geneseo's appeal comes from the collaborative efforts of faculty, staff and students and that the Preview Days and other events set Geneseo above competitors.