The data has been collected and it’s another strong year of enrollment at The College of Idaho.
The College officially welcomed an incoming-freshman class of 297 students, the second-largest number in the past 25 years. Once transfer students are included, the number balloons to a grand total of 354 new students on campus this fall, which is the third-largest number of overall new students on campus in the same time span.
“Not only is this the second largest freshman class in at least the last 25 years, but it is also the strongest academically in at least the last decade,” said Brian Bava, Vice President of Enrollment Management. “We are particularly proud of the nearly 50 percent increase in first-generation students choosing to attend The College of Idaho, which demonstrates the belief students and families have that a Liberal Arts education will best prepare them for the future that lies ahead.”
The College had an incoming-freshman class of 360 and a total incoming class, including transfers, of 403 in 2019.
The median grade-point average (GPA) for the incoming class this fall was 3.83, the highest in at least a decade, and an average SAT score of nearly 1200.
“The class of 2027 has already made itself known on campus with an astonishing sense of vitality and willingness to engage. So often, professors and administrators urge incoming students to explore the full range of opportunities on campus, to seek out friends and mentors during the early weeks of the first semester, and to embrace college life to the fullest extent,” said David Douglass, Provost and Dean of Faculty at the College. “However, this class has needed no such advice and has already thrown itself headlong into the experience. From the first weekend spent in the mountains at the Horsethief Y Camp to the natural science and mathematics research colloquium earlier this week, this class has showed up ready to perform. Professors consistently remark on the energy, resilience and optimism of this amazing group of new arrivals.”
The College’s overall enrollment for the Fall 2023 semester is 1,050 undergraduate students. The student body comes from 21 different states, including 607 from Idaho and 60 from Oregon, and 65 different foreign countries, led by Nepal (21 students), Mexico (9), and Spain (8). The 155 international students constitute almost 15 percent of the total student body.
The College of Idaho has a 132-year-old legacy of excellence. The College is known for its outstanding academic programs, winning athletics tradition, and history of producing successful graduates, including eight Rhodes Scholars, three governors, and countless business leaders and innovators. Its distinctive PEAK Curriculum challenges students to attain competency in the four knowledge peaks of humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and a professional field—empowering them to earn a major and three minors in four years. The College’s close-knit, residential campus is located in Caldwell, where its proximity both to Boise and to the world-class outdoor activities of southwest Idaho’s mountains and rivers offers unique opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. For more information, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.