Class '07 most diverse, selective

With the lowest acceptance rate and highest percentage of underrepresented minorities in school history, the Johns Hopkins University Class of 2007 represents an upward trend in the institution's recruiting ability.

According to John Latting, the Director of Undergraduate Admissions, "It is the smallest percentage of the applicant pool offered admission."

In the fall of 2002 10,024 freshmen applied for admission, up from 8,929 the year before. Only 2,974 of the applicants were accepted, giving the University a 29.7 percent acceptance rate for 2003. 4,604 students were denied admission, up from 2,990 the year before. An additional 1,699 applicants were placed on the wait list.

The applicant pool for admission has also become more competitive than in years past. Almost twice as many students with perfect 1600s on the SATs applied to Hopkins than in 2002. Of the 100 students with perfect 1600s who applied, 20 students were denied admission.

The freshman class consists of approximately 1,050 students. The yield, which is the percentage of accepted students who decided to attend, is 35 percent. This marks a one percentage point drop from last year's yield, which was 36 percent and was also an 11 year high.

The average SAT score for freshmen is a 1379, which is up from 1374 the year before. The class of 2005 has the highest SAT mean at 1398. The SAT median is 1390.

The class of 2007 is also by far the most diverse class Johns Hopkins has ever had. Of the approximately 1,050 freshmen, 80 of them are African American a 19 percent increase from last year. In total, 15 percent of the freshman class identify as underrepresented minorities. Seven percent of the class identify as Hispanic and one percent as Native American/Alaskan/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.

According to Dr. Latting, there was a 50 percent rise in the number of minority applicants this year. Latting attributes the rising applicant pool to an emphasis on recruiting. Within the past few years, three staff members were hired with the purpose of recruiting minority applicants. Admissions has also used minority students to help recruit more minority applicants. Because of this recruitment effort, Hopkins has become more selective in admitting minority students.

"Our own students are a critical resource to use as recruiting future students." Said Latting, "It's one thing if an admissions officer says Hopkins is great but its another thing if a Hopkins student who may be from your home state says the same thing."

Over the past two years the number of minority students has seen an upward trend. Underrepresented minorities made up only eight percent of the class of 2005. The Class of 2006 saw an increase in minority students to 14 percent.

Adding to the increased diversity of the freshman class is the record number of female students. A full 45 percent of the class of 2007 is female, up from 40 percent two years ago.

"We expect to move forward and not just stay where we are when it comes to campus diversity," said Latting.