Tufts' newest class of undergraduates arrives on the Hill today, bringing with it superior high school figures compared to any of the previous classes.
"Across all academic years, the [Class of 2009] set all records," Dean of Admissions Lee Coffin said.
Among the record-setting numbers:
--There are 1,367 entering freshmen, compared to 1,280 last year.
--The average SAT score for applicants was 1392 and, for those admitted, 1420, compared to 1368 for those enrolled last year.
--The middle 50 percent of SAT scores rose to a range of 1330 - 1480 from last year's range of 1210 - 1410.
--Eighty percent of enrolled students were in the top ten percent of their high school class, up from 74 percent last year.
--Twenty-eight percent of domestic students in the class are students of color - up from 26 percent last year.
--There is a record number of Asian American students: 184.
--The incoming undergraduates were chosen from 15,530 applicants. The 28 percent acceptance rate, up from the 27 percent admitted last year and the 26 percent admitted in 2003, can be explained by a shift in the Office of Admissions' decision-making strategy. According to Coffin, only 32 percent of the Class of 2009 was filled during Early Decision, compared to around 40 percent in past years.
The change was made, Coffin said, in order to "preserve space... for high quality students that apply broadly in the spring."
Another change to the incoming class is the result of a recruitment drive.
"The West Coast now represents ten percent of the class," Coffin said.
There are 684 men and 683 women.
