University of Virginia Library

Enrollment Grows 8%;
New Class Ranks High

Virginians Comprise Majority

According to figures released
by the information service of the
University, 8,491 students have
enrolled for the 1967 session,
approximately 8 per cent more
than a year ago. Of these, 1,332
were first-year men.

Ninety-one per cent of the
first-year students were in the
top two-fifths of their high
school classes. Ernest H. Ern,
Dean of Admissions, noted that
the class ranked high on the
basis of standing in secondary
schools, college boards and extracurricular
activities.

The University dean's analysis
also shows that the number of
Virginians entering the University
for the first time rose to 790
this year, approximately seven
per cent more than 1966.

Virginians at the University
number 4,631, with 2,927 enrolled
in the undergraduate program.
Virginians comprise 53
per cent of the entering class.

"Well-Rounded Class"

"Admission was offered to all
qualified students in Virginia
whom we felt could compete in
this academic environment,"
Dean Ern said. "This is a strong,
well-rounded class and we are
confident that it will rank with
the best classes we have had,"
he added.

Dean Ern pointed out that
there are a record number of
13 National Merit Scholars in
the entering class, five more
than last year. In addition,
there are 59 first-year students
enrolled in the Echols Scholars
program, in which students of
exceptional ability devote full
time to a broad area of study.

The entering class has an exceptional
background in extracurricular
activities, the University
dean said. Among the new
students there are 57 who were
student body presidents; 34
senior class presidents; 134 who
edited either high school newspapers
or yearbooks, and 466
members of the National Honor
Society.

There were 221 athletic team
captains and a total of 1,086
varsity letters were won by
members of the entering class.

High SAT Scores

Dean Ern said that his survey
showed that the college
board Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT) continued to reflect the
high quality of entering students
this year.

The average SAT verbal
score of the 968 students entering
the College of Arts and
Sciences was 598 and the average
for mathematics was 632
(maximum is 800 for both).

In the School of Engineering
and Applied Science where 306
first-year men enrolled, the
average verbal SAT score was
566 and 655 in mathematics.
In the School of Architecture,
the 58 first-year students averaged
a score of 595 verbal and
650 mathematics.

Over-all the SAT scores were
slightly below those of 1966,
which Dean Ern said reflects a
national trend.

5,200 Applicants

This year's entering class,
which was selected from more
than 5,200 applicants, represents
37 states and several foreign
countries. Sixty-six per cent of
the class is from the South
Public school graduates comprise
69 per cent of the class
and seven per cent are transfers
from other colleges.

Within the 10 schools of the
University the College of Arts
and Sciences has the highest
enrollment with 3,319 students,
206 more than last year.

The next highest undergraduate
enrollment is in the School
of Engineering and Applied
Science, which grew from 934
students in 1966 to 1,002 this
year.

Other undergraduate enrollments
include education, 108;
commerce, 165; architecture,
249, and nursing and medical
technology, 255.

More Graduate Students

On the graduate level, the
growing need for graduate study
is reflected in the enrollment of
the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences which increased from
909 students in 1966 to 1,063
this year.

The School of Education has
810 students enrolled in its
graduate programs this year, an
increase of 120 over last year.
Next comes graduate engineering,
239; graduate business, 208;
graduate architecture, 27, and
graduate law, 19.

On the professional level, the
School of Medicine has a total
enrollment of 298 students this
year and the School of Law has
729 students.

The number of women enrolled
at the University increased
from 809 in 1966 to
978 in 1967. Two-thirds of the
women are enrolled in the University's
graduate program.