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The UA student body is about to get bigger, smarter and more diverse. Big gains were made in enrollment, diversity and academic quality.

By Johnny Cruz, University Communications
August 18, 2009

The University of Arizona student body is about to get bigger, smarter and more diverse, as the UA makes final preparations to open its fall semester with big gains in enrollment, diversity and academic quality of its students.

When classes begin Aug. 24, 38,800 students are expected to start classes, including 7,000 freshmen. Among incoming freshmen, 34 percent are minority freshmen, which includes a 18 percent increase in Hispanic students and a 25 percent increase in Native American students.

The largest and most diverse freshman class ever will comprise the most academically gifted class ever. The Honors College will enroll more than 1,250 honors students, a record number of whom are minority honors students. And the UA is experiencing a big increase in students enrolled in the so-called STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

In addition, about 1,900 new transfer students are enrolling at the UA this year.

"Pursuing a college degree is one of the very best investments you can make.  I am delighted to know that record numbers of Arizona families are staking their futures on a UA degree," said UA President Robert N. Shelton. "More enrolled students mean brighter futures for Arizona. On behalf of the entire UA community, we welcome this freshman class and our transfer students with a great deal of pride and anticipation."

Arizona Board of Regents President Ernest Calderón noted, "I applaud the UA's efforts in achieving this positive result. Offering more students higher education is what it is all about."

Not only is the UA seeing extraordinary growth in the diversity of its student population, but it also is enrolling more top scholars than ever before.

More than 13 percent of the freshman class – about 900 students – are top scholars, who are projected to have a 3.5 grade point average or higher at the UA. A third of UA freshmen finished in the top 10 percent of their high school class.

When I started thinking about college, I knew I wanted to go in-state," said Anna Dorste, an incoming Honors College student from Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Ariz. "The UA blew me away. I honestly didn't apply to any other schools because I was set on going to UA. The educational range here is incredible. I also feel that I can grow intellectually and as a person here, and really begin to grasp my future."

The freshman class' mean grade point average is 3.3, average SAT score is 1102 and average ACT score is 23.8. All of those averages are slightly higher than last year's freshman class.

The incoming class includes a record 78 National Merit Scholars, 92 National Hispanic Scholars and 8 National Achievement Scholars.

"The reason I have chosen to attend the UA is because I have wanted to go there since I was a little girl," said Ariana Aguilera, an incoming UA student from Morenci, Ariz. "My father graduated from the UA and both of my older brothers have attended the University."

Jacob Shirley, a National Hispanic Scholar from Flowing Wells High School in Tucson, Ariz., says there is always "a sense of adventure in the air" at the UA. "I am really excited," said Shirley. He plans to major in psychology and minor in music. 

Galo Mejia, a graduate from Dobson High School in Mesa, Ariz., was introduced to the UA by his cross-country coach – who also happened to be his chemistry teacher.

"But I told him that really liked biology as well. This is when he introduced the field of pharmacy to my attention," Mejia said. "After that I became deeply interested in pharmacy and began to search for the best school where I could study it. This is when I found out that UA is one of the best schools for a PharmD."

In spite of the economic challenges facing the state and country, the UA is generating more interest from prospective students than at any point in its history.

The UA received nearly 25,000 applications for admission, 2,200 more applications than the previous year.