Fort Worth, TX September 19, 2013
By Jen Truax
The freshman class has reached an all-time high with approximately 1,934 undergraduate students this year, the majority being from out-of-state.
Although numbers have increased over the last few years, the Class of 2017 officially broke the record. Heath Einstein, director of Freshman Admission, said it will be “interesting to see if the trend continues.” Texas still remains the most highly represented state, but California takes second with 305 freshmen. Illinois and Colorado also proved to be popular states with entering freshmen.
Campus tours have remained an integral part of the admission process for prospective freshmen. Interest in TCU has sparked attention across the nation. For the first time, almost 20% of the students enrolled are of color. There are also 70 foreign students enrolled in the freshman class.
Several colleges have been growing as well. The College of Science & Engineering has grown 7.8% since last year with 1,597 students. Much of this growth is due to the increase in Pre-Med or Biology majors, and TCU’s Pre-Med program has been very successful in preparing students for medical school after graduation. The number of Biology majors has now surpassed the number of Business majors. The Neeley School of Business experienced a 7.2% growth in undergraduate students since last year, keeping it a popular major choice as well.
Ray Brown, Dean of Admission, loves his job in the TCU Admission Center and visiting with prospective freshmen. Asked about the entering class, Brown said it is the most interesting class he has ever seen in his time at TCU. Connecting with TCU’s students and getting to know their stories has been a rewarding experience for Brown as each new class becomes a unique part of the TCU community.