Class of '14 brings NU an increase in diversity

Class of ’14 brings NU an increase in diversity

September 21, 2010

The class of 2014 may be the most diverse and academically strong in Northwestern’s history, according to preliminary statistics released by the admissions office Tuesday.

“We had a sense it would be a special class,” said Michael Mills, associate provost for enrollment. “We were expecting good things, but I don’t think we expected to hit a home run in every category.”

Mills attributed the increase in the number of Hispanic, African American and international students who matriculated to NU this fall to a growing reputation, active recruitment, help from students on campus and better financial aid packages. He said the results were “very, very pleasing.”

The class of 2014 currently has 2,134 members. Of those, 13.5 percent, or 288, are recipients of Pell Grants, federal awards given to low-income students. Last year’s incoming class had 12.5 percent, according to Mills.

The acceptance rate dropped from 27 to 23 percent this year as yield rates rose from 31 to 33 percent. When he started reading application files for the class, Mills said he quickly realized the caliber of the students hoping for a spot at NU.

“It’s just one super-talented kid after another,” he said. “You get a sense after a while that’s, ‘Oh, we’re in the big leagues now.'”

Even the international student population rose to 6.3 percent from 5.6 percent, despite Mills’ expectation that it would drop due to the economic downturn and University policy, which makes minimal aid available to international students.

“I’m always astounded that we get the international student population that we get,” he said. “I wouldn’t have expected growth, but we have it.”

Mills also attributed some of the rise in interest to University President Morton Schapiro. Schapiro is the former president of Williams College, the number one liberal arts college in the country according to the U.S. News and World Report rankings.

Hayley Stevens, vice president for NU’s Hispanic/Latino Student Alliance, Alianza, said her group and other multicultural student organizations were busy greeting a large number of freshmen at a Multicultural Student Affairs event Sunday.

“We were really surprised by how many kids went,” she said. “It was incredible how many students were really interested in signing up for Alianza and other multicultural groups.”

She said the work of Alianza and Clave, a group that helps the admissions office reach out to Hispanic and Latino students, had paid off.

“I was very thrilled with (the rise in students),” Stevens said. “It was definitely our initiative to not just recruit Latino students but to recruit qualified Latino students, so the fact that we were able to raise the bar is fabulous.”

Mills also credited Associated Student Government with outreach to low-income and minority students. ASG President Claire Lew said while that the numbers are impressive, NU still has “a long way to go.”

“I don’t think we should be complacent in our efforts to recruit a more diverse community,” the SESP senior said. “I’m definitely excited about the fact that we’re making some steps.”

Class of 2014 stats (2013 stats in parenthesis)