Class of 2026 will be most academically qualified in university’s history
Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont, for the first time in its history, received more than 30,000 applications for undergraduate admission, leading the university to be even more selective and setting the stage for the Class of 2026 to be the highest-achieving incoming class ever.
“The quality of the Class of 2026 speaks to an expanding recognition of our academic reputation that the university community has rightfully earned,” said UVM President Suresh Garimella. “As we continue to attract more top students seeking to be intellectually challenged and holistically educated, UVM’s position among the most sought-after universities in the country is further solidified.”
The number of applicants to UVM also hit record levels in 2021, when the university attracted 25,500 applications, 38% more than the previous year. This year, the number of applicants jumped another 19% to 30,363.
The Class of 2026 will arrive on campus with an average SAT score of 1347, average ACT score of 31, and average GPA of 3.8. It also includes the greatest number of students who identify as students of color (72 more students, 21% higher than in 2021-2022), first-generation students (296 students, making up 9% of the class), and students who come from outside of New England (182 more students, 13% higher than in 2021-2022).
“I’m excited to see how this class contributes to our academic community and campus culture,” said Director of Admissions Moses Murphy. “Everyone who has interacted with the Class of ’26 has told me how impressed they are, including our faculty members, staff colleagues, and current students.”
The record applicant pool also allowed the university to be even more selective in its admissions decisions. As of May 2, UVM’s admission rate is 59%, the most selective rate at the university in at least 30 years.
While official statistics about the new class will not be published until a few weeks into the fall semester, many highly sought-after attributes are represented in those who have chosen UVM this year:
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50% of students will come from outside of New England. To address demographic shifts, the university has worked to diversify its applicant pool by increasing applications from outside its traditional admissions territory.
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46 states will be represented.
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Students will come from 15 other countries.
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13% will identify as students of color.
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9% will be first-generation college students (i.e. neither parent/guardian has a Bachelor’s degree).
“UVM students will be excited to know the value of the degree they are pursuing continues to increase,” said Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Jay Jacobs. “We believe a leading factor behind the surge is our commitment to maintaining affordability by keeping our tuition frozen at the same amount for a fourth consecutive year.”
Jacobs said other factors include the university's and the state's successful response to the pandemic, test-optional admissions, and solid recruitment and pipeline-building strategies that the admissions staff has executed over the past few years. “There's growing awareness that UVM is a premier public research university that offers hands-on learning opportunities with an unwavering commitment to ensuring student success,” he added.
About the University of Vermont
Since 1791, the University of Vermont has worked to move humankind forward. UVM’s strengths align with the most pressing needs of our time: the health of our societies and the health of our environment. Our size—large enough to offer a breadth of ideas, resources, and opportunities, yet intimate enough to enable close faculty-student mentorship across all levels of study—allows us to pursue these interconnected issues through cross-disciplinary research and collaboration. Providing an unparalleled educational experience for our students, and ensuring their success, are at the core of what we do. As one of the nation’s first land grant universities, UVM advances Vermont and the broader society through the discovery and application of new knowledge.
UVM is derived from the Latin Universitas Viridis Montis (in English, University of the Green Mountains).
5.4.2022. BURLINGTON, Vt. — University of Vermont. Photo courtesy UVM.