Holy Cross to Welcome Class of 2015 on Aug. 27

The College of the Holy Cross will welcome to campus an exceptional group of first-year students on Aug. 27.

The 756 members of the Class of 2015 were selected from a record 7,353 applicants, an increase of about six percent over last year. Of the 7,353 applicants, 33 percent (or 2,436) were accepted, according to Ann McDermott, director of Admissions.

The new class is the most diverse in the College’s history, with approximately 25 percent African-American, Latin American, Asian-American, and Native American heritage (ALANA) representation.

As soon as they arrive on campus, members of the Class of 2015 will participate in a three-and-one-half day program of welcoming events, known as Fall Gateways Orientation. The events are designed to ease transition to college life by introducing students to the wide variety of academic, spiritual, community-building, and social programs available at the College. Students also have the chance to meet members of the faculty, administrators, and fellow classmates before classes begin on Aug. 31.

Members of the new class and their parents will gather for the formal inauguration of the new academic year at the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Aug. 27 at 4 p.m. on the Hart Center Lawn (rain site: Hart Center basketball arena). Last year, Newsweek.com was on campus to capture the emotional ritual in a five minute video news story.

Here’s an “at-a-glance” profile of the incoming class:

Applicants: 7,353 Last year: 6,911

Accepted: [#] [%] 2,436    33% Last year: 2,450       35%

Number of Early Decision applicants: 512 Number accepted Early Decision: 348

Enrolled: 756 Last Year: 730

Percent ALANA: 25% Last year: 24% Five years ago: 17% Ten years ago: 12%

Percent graduated top 10% of class: 57% Percent graduated top 25% of class: 92% Percent graduated top 50% of class: 100%

Percent male: 49% Percent female: 51%

Percent from Mass.: 39% Percent from outside New England: 42% Number of states: 36 Number of foreign countries: 7

Percent from public schools: 52% Percent from Catholic schools: 28% Percent from private schools: 11% Percent from Jesuit schools: 8%

Related Information:

• Meet Some Outstanding Members of the Holy Cross Class of 2015