Class of 2016 continues tradition of excellence

After surviving the increasingly competitive college admissions process, 995 out of the original 9,116 students that applied to Geneseo are currently enrolled as the class of 2016.

Based on the class’s academic profile, the statistics for the class of 2016 are comparable to those of recent years. The mean SAT score for the freshman class is a 1333, with the middle 50 percent of the class achieving between a 1280 and a 1380.

The mean ACT score is a 28, and the mean high school average is a 93.6 percent. Eighty percent of the freshman class was ranked within the top 20 percent of their high school graduating classes.

“Our academic reputation, strength of faculty and successful alumni continue to attract some of the best and brightest and most engaged students from across [New York State],” Director of Admissions Kristine Shay said in an email.

“There are rarely dramatic changes in college enrollments from year to year, but more trends that one sees over time,” Shay said. “The trends we have been seeing continued this year.”

According to Shay, the Office of Admissions continues to see an increase in the number of students that enroll from the downstate area of New York, including metropolitan New York City and Long Island. Approximately half of each recent freshman class has come from the Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island.

Declared majors within the class of 2016 maintain recent trends, with biology being the largest program of choice. Shay noted that there has been a slight increase in the number of students declaring chemistry, biochemistry, psychology, business, English and political science majors. The choice of “undeclared” is currently the second most popular option selected by the freshman class.

“We also continue to be happy with the number of underrepresented students we enroll,” Shay said. “While the final figures from [Institutional Research] have yet to be released, I anticipate it being close to 25 percent in the freshman class.”

According to the class of 2016 profile, 20 percent of the class is composed of multicultural students. The male-to-female ratio remains at 43 to 57 percent, which is similar to last year’s enrollment statistics.

According to Shay, the freshman class will also uphold the Geneseo student body traditions of general community involvement and improvement.

“Students continue to be active and engaged outside the classroom, in leadership positions, performing arts roles, team captains and volunteers,” Shay said. “They ideally will add the same contributions to the fabric of our community and continue the trend that we see with such an extraordinary student body.”

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