North Central’s Old Main administration building.  Photo by News Bulletin staff.

For the seventh straight year, North Central College anticipates record enrollment as the 2012-2013 academic year begins Sept. 10. Total enrollment is expected to top 3,000 for the first time.

The college anticipates 850 new full-time undergraduate students, with first-year enrollment at 560 students and 290 transfer students.

Fall-term graduate student enrollment is the highest in years, with an anticipated 126 new students, helping boost the college’s overall record count.
“We’re thrilled to welcome one of the most diverse and talented incoming classes in college history,” says Martin Sauer, dean of admission and financial aid. “The fact that a record number of students are enrolled at North Central confirms both our dedication to providing a high-quality experience and long-standing commitment to making a great college education affordable.”
This new class of students stands out in many respects. Some 39 percent of the first-year student class is considered first generation—neither parent graduated from college—with 43 percent of the transfer class also designated as first-generation college students.
The undergraduate class had the largest applicant pool in North Central history—nearly 4,000 first-year student applications.
Combined with transfer applications, the total applicant pool was more than 5,000 total undergraduate applications for the first time.
North Central was more selective this year in its admission of first-year students, with an acceptance rate of just 60 percent.
Among first-year students, some 78 percent will reside in residence halls and 22 percent are non-majority students.
The average high school GPA is 3.6, the number of Presidential Scholars—those receiving North Central’s highest merit scholarship—is 88, and 73 students will participate in the College Scholars Honors Program.
In addition, 34 new international students representing 29 countries are enrolled this fall.
Enrollment numbers will be formally certified in late September, two weeks after fall term classes begin.
The college’s academic calendar consists of three 10-week terms, a summer session and a December Term.
North Central College recently received national recognition from multiple college guides.
The Princeton Review again named North Central a Best Midwestern College in its annual survey of the nation’s best colleges.
Recognized as a College of Distinction for 2012-2013, North Central College was cited “one of the best comprehensive liberal arts colleges in the nation” by the guide.
And Forbes magazine named North Central College among the top 25 percent of the nation’s colleges and universities, ranking it among America’s Top Colleges for 2012-2013.