In just a few short weeks, the largest, brightest and possibly appearing-earliest-on-the-Facebook freshman class will begin their studies at American University.
Around 15,000 students applied to be part of the Class of 2010. That is a record number of applications for AU, according to admissions personnel.
Cristan L. Trahey, associate director of undergraduate admissions at AU, explained in an e-mail that "students are simply applying to more and more colleges every year as college admissions becomes more and more competitive."
The incoming class boasts an average SAT score of 1268, according to Trahey. That number is slightly higher then the Class of 2009's 1266.
The group also boasts an average GPA of 3.53, compared to 3.51 from last year, Trahey said. This year, "students hail from more demanding curriculums (APs, IBs, and Honors) and with more community service under their belts," Trahey wrote.
Erik Altieri, a member of the Class of 2010, is not surprised that his class has the highest averages. "I'm not surprised at least on a state level, more funding has gone to education throughout the years, maybe its starting to pay off," he said. "You would think that with time we adjust the education system and fine-tune it, so jumps in scores like that should be expected."
Trahey said she could not of been more excited about the record application level.
"We were thrilled by the response to AU this year. We exceeded the goal we established for this year's class, but as is the case with every college and university, not every student who enrolls will actually show," she wrote.
The students chose AU for a variety of reasons.
"When I visited, I was quite impressed with the school and their emphasis on getting jobs for their students," said incoming freshman Peter Woerner.
"To avoid the typical response of 'GU or Tufts rejected me', I picked it for its location and connections, and the reputation it has for International Relations," said incoming freshman Paul Delventhal.
However, Altieri jokes that the reason the class is so large is simply because "Georgetown or GWU rejected a lot of people this year."
More importantly, though, this incoming class is a "true testament to how AU is changing and becoming more global and prestigious," Trahey said.
This class also embodies a lot of what AU prides itself it on. "My review of applications indicated they embody the 'Ideas into Action, Action into Service' philosophy for which AU is known," said Trahey.
The students are excited to begin their lives in Washington, D.C. "It really isn't something I can put in words. I walk around all day, sporting my AU T-shirt with this irreversible smile on my face. I count down the days until I move in," Devanthal said. "I can't say I've ever been this excited in my life"
