Hobart and William Smith Colleges will welcome 568 first-year students to Geneva this fall, marking a more than 20% increase in enrollment over last year and pushing total campus enrollment above 2,000 students for the first time in years.
College officials announced Friday that the incoming Class of 2030 caps a record-setting admissions cycle that saw the largest inquiry and applicant pools in school history.
According to HWS, student inquiries climbed nearly 30% year-over-year to 18,989, while applications rose 15.7% to 6,699.
The enrollment growth comes as many colleges nationwide continue grappling with demographic declines and shrinking numbers of traditional college-age students.
“Hobart and William Smith continues to distinguish itself through the strength of our academic program, the power of experiential learning and the outcomes students and families seek,” President Mark Gearan said in a statement.
The incoming class includes students from 35 states and multiple countries, including Bangladesh, Poland, the United Kingdom and El Salvador.
College officials said the class enters with an average GPA of 3.64, while 62% graduated from public high schools. Roughly 36% of incoming students are expected to compete in varsity athletics across HWS’s 31 sports programs.
The incoming class also includes the first group of Melly Scholars, a newly created scholarship program established through a $70 million gift announced earlier this year.
Only 20 students were selected for the inaugural scholarship cohort from a pool of more than 500 applicants, according to the college.
HWS Board Chair Joseph Stein III said surpassing the 2,000-student enrollment mark represents a major strategic milestone for the institution.
“It is a testament to the strength of the HWS experience, the confidence students and families place in this institution, and the conviction of our alumni as demonstrated through philanthropy,” Stein said.
The Class of 2030 is scheduled to arrive on campus Aug. 26 for move-in and matriculation activities.
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