Wheaton welcomes Class of 2011

Wheaton welcomed 440 new students to campus in August. Nearly 4,000 high school students had applied for spots in the Class of 2011, the most applications Wheaton has ever received, and only 39 percent were offered admission.

With each entering class, students are increasingly more competitive. ''The Admission Committee struggled mightily this past year to choose a first year class from so many amazingly talented students,'' said Gail Berson, dean of admission. ''We are increasingly impressed by the academic credentials of Wheaton applicants and their commitment to excellence in and out of the classroom.''

Nearly 60 percent of the Class of 2011 was in the top 10 percent of its high school class, and more than 80 percent were in the top 25. The average grade point average was 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. The average SAT score of those who submitted results was 1300.

Drawn from an increasingly diverse applicant pool, the class of 2011 is diverse as well. Twenty-one percent of first year students identify as Asian, Black, Cape Verdean, Hispanic, American Indian, Pacific Islander or multiracial. The first-year students represent 33 states and 23 countries, with 39 percent male and 61 percent female. There was a 10 percent increase in high schools represented, with 62 percent from public, 27 percent from independent and 11 percent from independent religious schools. And 13 percent of the students have relatives who are Wheaton alumnae/i.