Meet the Vassar College class of 2004

When Vassar College students start classes on Thursday, August 31, they'll be joined by a freshman class selected from by far the largest applicant pool in the school's 139 year history. Vassar received 5,595 applications for the Class of 2004, 17 percent more than last year. Only 34.5 percent of the applicants, a record low, were admitted and 644 are expected to enroll. Thirty-nine percent (250) of the entering freshmen are male and 61 percent (394) are female. The school's total approximate enrollment is expected to be 2,350.

The class of 2004 comes to Poughkeepsie from just over 500 high schools in 48 states (all but Mississippi and South Dakota) and 12 foreign countries (Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Romania, and the United Kingdom). Fifty-six of the new students speak English as a second language. At home, the freshman class speaks 25 different first languages.

Approximately 60 percent attended public high schools and 40 percent attended private or parochial schools. Twenty-one percent of the class are students of color.

In descending order, the top feeder states were: New York (166), California (60), New Jersey (55), Massachusetts (54), Pennsylvania (36), Connecticut (31), Maryland (21), Maine (15), Texas (15), Illinois (13), Ohio (13), Oregon (13), New Hampshire (12), Vermont (11), Michigan (10), and Washington (10).

Sixty-one percent of those with high school rank come from the top 10 percent of their classes and 86 percent are from the top 20 percent. The average combined SAT scores of this year's freshmen equal 1343, 12 points higher than last year's class, and the highest in Vassar's history.

For additional information, call the Office of College Relations at (914) 437-7404.

Vassar College is a highly selective, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861. Named the 1999 "College of the Year" by Time Magazine/The Princeton Review, Vassar is celebrating 30 years of coeducation.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on accessibility should contact Campus Activities Office at (845) 437-5370. Without sufficient notice, appropriate space and/or assistance may not be available.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

This article was posted on Thursday, August 24th, 2000.