Although the numbers are preliminary, it is clear that the incoming class is large, diverse and represents a growing number of out-of-state students.

Of the nearly 2,800 incoming students, 22 percent are from outside Kentucky. Administrators believe that may be the highest percentage of out-of-state freshmen in university history.

“Attracting students beyond Kentucky is a trend we’ve been seeing for years,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “It’s gratifying to know that students from near and far are choosing our university. This will be my first incoming class. I’ve been counting down the days until the fall semester begins.”

Here’s a snapshot of the incoming class:

• 55 percent have some college credits
• 15 percent are African American
• 6 percent are Hispanic/Latino
• 73 percent will live on campus
• 16 percent are first-generation college students
• 25.6 is the average ACT score, well above the 2017 Kentucky average of 20
• 3.6 is the average high school grade-point average, based on a 4.0 scale
• 78 percent are Kentucky residents
• 22 percent are from out of state
• 12 foreign countries are represented
• Engineering, biology, business, education and nursing are the five most popular majors.

The fall semester also marks a new record for the J. B. Speed School of Engineering: its largest incoming class ever. Speed expects 521 first-year, full-time engineering students, a significant jump over last year’s 472 first-year, full-time students.

“We’re seeing the fruits of our outreach and recruiting efforts,” said Gail DePuy, associate dean of academic and student affairs for the Speed School. “For years now, we’ve been going into schools and the community to tutor, offer hands-on activities and spread the word about engineering.”

DePuy estimates that Speed School enrollment is up by more than 40 percent in the past five years. She credits the university’s recruiting efforts as well as nation-wide trends and attitudes that highlight engineering as a good career choice.

“You can do anything with an engineering degree,” she said. “If you want a job, you’ve got a job, and a good one at that.”

Jim Begany, vice provost for enrollment management and student success, said his enrollment team was pleased to see positive trends in overall growth, academic preparedness and diversity.

“The class is 5 percent larger than the previous year. Plus, the ACT scores and high school GPAs continue to tick upward,” said Begany. “Those are trends we like to see.”

As part of the university’s ongoing efforts to boost enrollment and improve college affordability, Begany said the university also launched a new need-based scholarship program specifically for Kentucky students. The grant provides $3,000 per academic year as long as the student continues to qualify. UofL has awarded the grant to 670 students so far this year.

During his speech, Pinto acknowledged the students’ excitement and tried to calm any nerves: “Faces and spaces will become familiar,” he promised.

“College is an extremely special time because you’re learning your education. But you’re also learning to be independent and experiencing diversity – diversity in thought, people and cultures. You’re exploring broader interests and building friendships and your network for the future,” he said. “We are ready for you and we welcome you. Each one of you has the potential to achieve your goals. Prove us right.”

Pinto then introduced the freshman class to the university’s leaders, including acting provost Dale Billingsley and the deans for each school. He also introduced dean of students Michael Mardis, incoming faculty senate chair Enid Trucios-Haynes and SGA president Aaron Vance, and acknowledged executive director of admissions Jenny Sawyer and her team for bringing this class to campus.

Vance offered the freshmen advice from his fellow student perspective, telling them to balance work and play, to have fun and to appreciate their time here, as it goes fast. He also challenged them to experience growth in the five key aspects of the CARDS initiative – community, academics, responsibility, diversity and service. 

“Get to know as many of your classmates as possible. Academically, challenge yourself. Develop a schedule; routines are key to college. Break out of your comfort zone this year. Explore an idea or a concept that you know nothing about,” Vance said. “Make new friends and take those interactions to the next level. They will stick with you for the rest of your life.”

Brandeis School of Law professor Enid Trucios-Haynes closed out the introduction with a series of her favorite inspiring quotes for the freshmen:

• “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” – Langston Hughes
• “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “What we mean by maturity in people’s thinking is not a matter of how smart they are, but it is a matter of the order of consciousness in which they exercise their smartness or their lack of it.” – Robert Kegan

Trucios-Haynes also offered up some pieces of advice that have helped her navigate through her career, including:

• Be human and recognize the humanity in others who are different than you.
• Don’t take yourself too seriously.
• Everyone needs help; you just need to recognize the need and know when to ask for it.
• Be relational; get to know others.
• Laugh, laugh, and laugh some more.
• There’s a time for work and for play.
• Be courageous.

“My wish for each and every one of you is you discover your passion and chart your own path to success however you define it,” Trucios-Haynes said.

This year’s bumper crop of freshmen exceeds last year’s historic count by 100 students. Not only are there more of them, they represent a wider range of backgrounds than previous classes: 13.5 percent of its members are African American, and 4.1 percent are Latino. Executive Director of Admissions Jenny Sawyer believes that this is a new record for racial diversity.

“I checked our numbers going back to 1988 and I feel pretty confident that this year represents our highest numbers for African American and Hispanic/Latino students,” she said.

In addition, this year’s freshman class is the most well-prepared academically in the institution’s history. Nearly half of its students will arrive having already earned some level of college credit, and its average ACT score of 25.5 surpasses both the 2015 national average of 21 and the state average of 20. Of the freshman class, 465  students are part of the university’s honors program, while 236 are Kentucky Governor’s Scholars.

“It’s a good feeling to know that we are attracting top-notch students from across the U.S. who are well equipped to begin college,” said UofL Acting President Neville Pinto. “Our incoming students are extraordinary in many ways — nearly half already have some college credits, the class is highly diverse and their ACT scores are impressive.”

Most of the class hails from nearby: 78.7 percent (2,280) are Kentuckians, and nearly half  (1,055) are from Jefferson County. Just over 17 percent of the class comes from outside the commonwealth, representing 36 states. Most are ready to call UofL home for the year, with 73.8 percent living on campus.

The most popular declared majors among the new class are Engineering, Business and Nursing. They will embark on these and many other degree programs on Monday, Aug. 22 as undergraduates begin the fall semester.