UVa Class of 2015: Most Impressive in University History

Closing the books on the 2010-11 admissions cycle, the University of Virginia (UVa) Office of Admission announced an incoming class that “will collectively pack the most impressive academic credentials in University history.”

Two-thirds of the entering first year students are from Virginia. Ninety-one percent finished in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, and their average combined math and verbal SAT scores was 1,339—8 points higher than last year.

In fact, 4 entering students dialed “toll free” (earned perfect scores) on all 3 parts of the SAT, and 22 posted perfect scores on the Critical Reading and Math sections.

And the class is diverse. Nearly 8 percent are African-American, 6 percent are Hispanic, and just under 1 percent are Naïve American. About 1,125 students (32 percent) will benefit from AccessUVa, the University’s financial aid program, including 239 qualifying for full scholarship support.

In response to the call from Governor Robert McDonnell to increase the number of degrees awarded in STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and math—the class entering UVa’s School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) is growing by 12.5 percent, from 585 students last year to a projected 658 for the Class of 2015.

“Over the past five years we’ve grown 25 percent, really without sacrificing quality and increasing diversity,” said Engineering School Dean James Aylor. “There’s no question that the STEM fields are very attractive. There are jobs out there in that arena.”

According to the UVa press release, the flow of students from Virginia’s community college system remains strong. The University expects to enroll 600 transfer students (up from 560 last year), including 325 (up from 264) from Virginia’s 23 community colleges.

And with the transfers, UVa will be able to achieve its traditional 70 percent in-state enrollment goal.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.