Wheaton welcomes Class of 2011

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

''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 students in the Class of 2011 were in the top 10 percent of their 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. Thirty-five percent of the class was offered merit-based aid. The top five academic interests are psychology, English, economics, history and political science.

Drawn from an increasingly diverse applicant pool, the class of 2011 represents a wide range of backgrounds. Twenty-one percent of first-year students identify as Asian, Black, Cape Verdean, Hispanic, American Indian, Pacific Islander or multiracial. Students hail from 33 states and 23 countries; 39 percent are male and 61 percent female.

This year marked a 10 percent increase in the number of high schools represented, with 62 percent of students coming from public schools, 27 percent from independent and 11 percent from independent religious schools. And 13 percent of the students have relatives who are Wheaton alumnae/i. The top five states contributing these new students are Massachusetts, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Connecticut and California (tied).

These new students also represent a diverse wealth of talent and experience. Included in their ranks are a steel drummer, a Portuguese step dancer, a female captain of a boys' varsity golf team, a world-class chess player, and the co-author of a science paper published by the Geological Society of America. Meet three of these new Wheaties:

Amelia Weltner '11 comes from Atlanta, Georgia, and was drawn to Wheaton by the college's strong tradition of service learning. Back home, Amelia completed more than 300 hours of community service at a shelter for women and children and through her work with the service organization Hands On Atlanta. ''What attracted me to Wheaton was the community feel and friendly atmosphere,'' she says. ''I'm excited about my classes, and I can't wait to get involved in the community service!''

Her classmate Emily Greene-Colozzi '11 of Salem, New Hampshire, is a championship violinist who won first place in the Manchester Youth Orchestra competition. Emily joins her sister April Greene-Colozzi '09 at Wheaton and is looking forward to working closely with professors and ''getting a top-notch education.''

Transfer student Michael Latner '10 comes to Wheaton from Torrance, California. Michael participated in a permaculture design course at Kibbutz Lotan in the southern Arava desert of Israel, where he helped create sustainable living environments. ''I chose Wheaton because I was looking for a small, liberal arts college where I could have lots of interaction with students and faculty alike. I have found Wheaton to be a place that is very receptive to the ideas of its students,'' he says.