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First-year students bring high academic achievement, diversity to campus

By Alexa Lokensgard '03
September 2, 2002

The class of 2006 appears to be one of St. Olaf College's strongest incoming classes ever, judging by the academic achievements and ethnic diversity of the 781 high school graduates who are beginning their college careers here this fall.

"Our goal over the past eight years has been to strengthen both the academic profile and the general profile -- the overall makeup in terms of ethnic background, religious affiliation and diversity of activities -- of each incoming class," says Barb Lundberg, vice president and dean of enrollment, who has worked at St. Olaf since 1994.

The academic and general profile of the class of 2006 suggests that St. Olaf is drawing applicants from a broader spectrum than it has in the past.

The academic grade-point average (GPA) among the class of 2006 is 3.63. Seventy-two students were valedictorians, 207 were ranked among the top 10 students in their senior classes and 336 of the 667 who presented high-school rankings were in the top 10 percent of their class. Standardized test scores were also high, with an average SAT score of 1279 and an average ACT of 27.

A record 48 National Merit Scholars are in the class, placing St. Olaf in the top five undergraduate liberal arts schools nationwide, along with neighboring Carleton College in Northfield and Macalester College in St. Paul.

In addition, St. Olaf is succeeding in its goal to attract more multicultural students to its campus. Of the 649 incoming students who provided ethnic information, 10 percent classify themselves as multicultural -- an all-time high for St. Olaf. Also, 17 percent are first-generation college students, meaning they come from families in which neither their mother nor father graduated from a four-year college or university.

"We have been working for some time to strengthen our diversity outreach efforts," Lundberg says. "We've been very proactive in bringing low-income and first-generation students to campus."

Those efforts are strengthened, she explains, by the Student Support Services/Professional Exploration programs (SSS/PEP), which served 39 students this year. The programs provide educational opportunities for students who meet federal income guidelines, have a disability or are from a family in which neither parent has earned a degree beyond high school (commonly called "first-generation" college students). They are funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and St. Olaf.

Dean of Community Life and Diversity Eida Berrio and St. Olaf President Christopher Thomforde both have placed a diverse culture and climate high on their list of priorities for the college. "I believe we will be successful as an institution," Berrio says, "if we make a difference in terms of who is included among students, faculty and staff -- of who sits at the table -- and also by how understanding and appreciative of diversity we all learn to be."

Meanwhile, the raising of the academic profile seems to have happened naturally. "The high integrity of the school's programs speak for themselves, attracting savvy students that any institution would be happy to have," says Milyon Trulove, assistant director of admissions.

And student satisfaction rates appear to be high, judging by the strong percentage of last year's first-year class who returned in 2002. "Having a class so well prepared academically creates terrific classroom environments," says Dean of Students Greg Kneser. "In addition, our record retention tells us that students are happy here. We have interesting and challenging courses, and we get great students who are supported by a network of services. These kids are active and happy in this community."

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.