College of William and Mary
08/23/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/23/2024 15:10
A bright future: Meet William & Mary’s Class of 2028
A bright future: Meet William & Mary's Class of 2028
The university's first-year undergraduate students and transfer students moved into residence halls Aug. 23.
By Erin Jay
Published August 23, 2024
William & Mary's new undergraduates include about 190 transfer students and 1,620 members of the Class of 2028. Photo by Stephen Salpukas
Toting boxes, blankets, mirrors and more, William & Mary's Class of 2028 and new transfer students made themselves at home on campus on Aug. 23 as they moved into residence halls with the help of family and friends.
The first-year students received a warm welcome from orientation aides who sported neon shirts and provided encouragement and guidance to the newest members of the campus community. President Katherine A. Rowe also greeted the students and their families, even helping carry goods into residence halls.
While some graduate programs are already underway, the university's first day of undergraduate classes is Aug. 28. That same day, the university will host its Opening Convocation ceremony, which officially kicks off the new academic year.
An orientation aide helps welcome new students to campus. (Photo by Stephen Salpukas)President Katherine A. Rowe (left) greets new students and their families during move-in. (Photo by Stephen Salpukas)Family members and friends helped new students move into their residence halls. (Photo by Stephen Salpukas)Family members and friends helped new students move into their residence halls. (Photo by Stephen Salpukas)Family members and friends helped new students move into their residence halls. (Photo by Stephen Salpukas)Even potential future W&M students helped with move-in. (Photo by Stephen Salpukas)New students wasted no time in getting their rooms set up. (Photo by Stephen Salpukas)By the numbers
William & Mary's new undergraduates include about 190 transfer students and 1,620 members of the Class of 2028.
The university received 17,798 applications for the first-year class, a 25% increase in applications over 2020. This year, the university also saw a record number of Early Decision applications and a significant increase in enrollment by Pell Grant-eligible students.
The university has been striving in recent years to increase the socioeconomic diversity of its student body, taking such actions as pledging to cover the full tuition and fees for all in-state Pell Grant recipients and implementing programs like the Commonwealth Impact Partnership Program. As a result of those efforts, the Class of 2028 includes a 28% increase in the number of enrolling first-year Pell Grant recipients compared to last year. In total, 20% of incoming first-year in-state students are Pell Grant recipients.
"We have been working diligently to make William & Mary more affordable and accessible to outstanding students with financial need, and we are delighted to see those efforts coming to fruition," said Tim Wolfe, associate vice president for enrollment and dean of admission. "The Class of 2028 is an impressive group, and I know they will enrich our campus community. We welcome them to campus and look forward to getting to know them better in the weeks to come."
Graphic by Emmaline NelsenIn addition to being socioeconomically diverse, about 10% of students in the Class of 2028 are first-generation students, 33% of the students from the United States are students of color and 3% are international students. Students in the entering class represent 33 different countries along with 40 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Class of 2028 is also bright and accomplished. The first-year students have a SAT middle 50th percentile of 1400-1530 and an ACT middle 50th percentile of 32-34. They also have an average weighted GPA of 4.35.
The first-year students can also claim a variety of achievements and unique interests. The class includes a student getting their private pilot's license and a student glider pilot, a state champion and professional aerialist, a student who is a cross-country state champion and a U.S. Figure Skating triple gold medalist, a U.S. History Bee National Championship participant and a student who built a harpsichord.
Erin Jay, Senior Associate Director of University News