Class of 2008 is diverse, well-qualified

By Dan Heuchert

This fall’s entering class appears to be both more diverse and better qualified academically than last year’s, according to preliminary admissions figures announced July 1 by the University.

As of late June, African Americans and blacks from other countries made up 10 percent of the 3,165 students who had accepted U.Va.’s offer of admission, up from 9 percent last year. Also increasing were the percentage of Asian and Asian-American students (14 percent, up from 13 percent last year) and Hispanic/Latino students (5 percent, up from 3 percent).

Standardized test scores also were up. The combined SAT scores of the middle 50 percent of the entering class were in a range of between 1,250 and 1,430 points, an increase of 10 points on each end of the range over last year’s class.

“Diversity and quality are the two primary concerns of this office, and the entering class is strong in both areas,” said John A. Blackburn, dean of admission.

In all, 15,245 students applied for admission to the Class of 2008, and 5,763 were offered admission.

Among other class highlights:

• 83.9 percent of incoming students ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, down slightly from last year’s 85.1 percent. However, this year’s percentage is based upon rankings as of the middle of the applicants’ senior year; the final rankings are likely to be higher, Blackburn said.

• Women again will make up 54 percent of the entering class, matching last year’s proportion.

• Virginians make up 66 percent of the class. More than half of the students admitted into the honors programs in the College of Arts & Sciences (Echols Scholars) and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Rodman Scholars) are Virginians.

• The top six sources of international students: South Korea, China, Turkey, India, Hong Kong, Canada.

• 11 students deferred their admissions offers to take a “gap year,” down from 24 last year.

“My staff and I felt that this year was the most competitive we have seen in the past 25 years, and the profile reflects our impressions,” Blackburn said.