North Central College reports record enrollment for fall incoming class

North Central College welcomed a record number of new first-year students with the 2017-2018 academic term.

“Once again our admission numbers are outstanding,” said North Central College President Troy Hammond. “Very few schools like us can report that their incoming class is at record levels.”

At the start of term, the College welcomed 865 new undergraduates to campus—603 first-year and 262 transfer students. This follows a graduating class of 811 at the College’s 2017 Commencement in June. These graduates join a network of more than 27,000 North Central alumni worldwide.

The Class of 2021 is one of the most diverse in North Central history with slightly more than 30 percent students of color. Some 37 percent of first-year students are considered first-generation—neither parent graduated from college—with 42 percent of the transfer class also reporting that they are first-generational college students.

Among first-year students, 71 percent will reside in residence halls and 13 percent are students from out of state. The average ACT score is 25, and the average high school GPA is 3.7. The number of Presidential Scholars for the Class of 2021 stands at 90.

With enrollment for undergraduates at 2,769 and graduate school students at 196, the College’s total enrollment is 2,965 students. Enrollment numbers are officially confirmed 10 days after the start of fall term.

The College also welcomed 67 new international students. Recruitment of students from around the world continues to gain strength as the College builds awareness of its 2015 Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. The College’s English Language Institute welcomed this fall 15 students from nine countries.

North Central College is recognized for excellence by numerous rankings and college guides. For 2018, U.S. News & World Report ranks North Central in the top 10 “Best Regional Universities and No. 8 in the “Best Colleges for Veterans” Midwest categories. The Princeton Review names North Central a “Best Midwestern College” in its annual survey of the nation’s best colleges, and Forbes ranks North Central among “America’s Top Colleges” for 2017. North Central is also a 2017-2018 College of Distinction and ranked in Money Magazine’s list of best colleges that combines educational quality, affordability and alumni success.