2008 Woodie Awards
Admissions more selective as freshmen sport higher SAT scores, GPAs
Ben Williams, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 9/3/08 Section: News
This year's freshman class continues a trend of higher GPAs, higher SAT scores and higher standards for incoming students.
According to the University of Massachusetts' office of institutional research and Collegeboard.com, the class of 2012 consists of approximately 4,100 students selected from the highest ever number of applicants to the University, resulting in the lowest percentage of students accepted.
Almost 29,000 students applied to UMass this year, an increase of 7 percent from last year and 80 percent from the 2003 total of 16,500.
Over the past five years, the average GPA of the incoming freshman class has increased .27 points, or about 8 percent. That corresponds with an increase of the average class rank from which students are selected, now at the 21st percentile.
The percentage of first year students accepted dropped by 1.56 percent from 65.6 percent last year to 64 percent this year. Five years ago, UMass accepted 81.9 percent of its applicants.
Despite the nearly 20 percent drop in acceptance rate, the incoming class size has remained essentially the same in the past five years, hovering around the 4,100 mark because of the huge increase in number of applications.
UMass has similar acceptance and GPA numbers to other state colleges and universities, with 69 percent accepted at Bridgewater State and 61 percent accepted at UMass Boston. The largest percent of the incoming freshman population at both Bridgewater and UMass Boston had a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 according to the College Board Web site.
Compared to private universities, however, UMass is farther away. Only 39 percent of applicants to Northeastern University are accepted, and 77 percent of them are in the top quarter of their class.
The increase in applications can be attributed to a number of factors, including the current economic situation and the perceived level of education acquired at the University.
"Students and their families clearly understand that UMass Amherst distinguishes itself by offering a high-quality and affordable college education," said Esther Terry, interim vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life.
This was the third year UMass has offered an early action admission program that allows students to apply early for admission and receive notification of their acceptance in December. Early action applications grew by 30 percent to 6,230 applicants.
The number of transfer applications was about the same this year as last year - around 3,000 students.
Ben Williams can be contacted at bwilliam@dailycollegian.com.
According to the University of Massachusetts' office of institutional research and Collegeboard.com, the class of 2012 consists of approximately 4,100 students selected from the highest ever number of applicants to the University, resulting in the lowest percentage of students accepted.
Almost 29,000 students applied to UMass this year, an increase of 7 percent from last year and 80 percent from the 2003 total of 16,500.
Over the past five years, the average GPA of the incoming freshman class has increased .27 points, or about 8 percent. That corresponds with an increase of the average class rank from which students are selected, now at the 21st percentile.
The percentage of first year students accepted dropped by 1.56 percent from 65.6 percent last year to 64 percent this year. Five years ago, UMass accepted 81.9 percent of its applicants.
Despite the nearly 20 percent drop in acceptance rate, the incoming class size has remained essentially the same in the past five years, hovering around the 4,100 mark because of the huge increase in number of applications.
UMass has similar acceptance and GPA numbers to other state colleges and universities, with 69 percent accepted at Bridgewater State and 61 percent accepted at UMass Boston. The largest percent of the incoming freshman population at both Bridgewater and UMass Boston had a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 according to the College Board Web site.
Compared to private universities, however, UMass is farther away. Only 39 percent of applicants to Northeastern University are accepted, and 77 percent of them are in the top quarter of their class.
The increase in applications can be attributed to a number of factors, including the current economic situation and the perceived level of education acquired at the University.
"Students and their families clearly understand that UMass Amherst distinguishes itself by offering a high-quality and affordable college education," said Esther Terry, interim vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life.
This was the third year UMass has offered an early action admission program that allows students to apply early for admission and receive notification of their acceptance in December. Early action applications grew by 30 percent to 6,230 applicants.
The number of transfer applications was about the same this year as last year - around 3,000 students.
Ben Williams can be contacted at bwilliam@dailycollegian.com.
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