Dear colleagues,
Despite the many challenges of 2020, DePaul’s new freshman enrollment is noteworthy, if not remarkable. This fall, DePaul welcomed another record-breaking freshman class, enrolling 2,774 freshmen, which was 4.7% over our budgeted headcount goal and the largest freshman class in university history.
DePaul received a record number of applications, which allowed for greater selectivity and resulted in a more academically prepared freshman cohort. This cohort has the highest average GPA ever recorded for a DePaul freshman class, as well as the largest number of Honors Program students, representing 13% of the total freshman cohort.
In addition to being the largest freshman class in university history, it was also the most diverse. DePaul’s mission focuses on students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education, and we work hard to provide the opportunity of a DePaul education to talented students of all backgrounds. To that end, a record 49% of freshmen are students of color, 34% are first-generation students, 32% are Pell-eligible and 23% are from the city of Chicago.
Select admission initiatives and university efforts, including anti-melt programs hosted by each college and value-added yield strategies designed by Enrollment Management, made the difference for a strong fall enrollment. It is clear from our fall enrollment that our decisions leading up to the first day of classes and our ability to communicate clearly with students, parents and the DePaul community contributed to our success.
This summary is a testament to our work as a whole. Welcoming another record-setting class requires contributions from many partners across the university and our community advocates. We are thankful for our colleagues and all that they do to make the DePaul education a reality for our students.
Sincerely,
Carlene Klaas
Dean of Undergraduate Admission