For the second year in a row, Drexel University accepted a record-breaking class of freshmen. The incoming class is both the largest and the most academically talented in Drexel’s history.
More than 3,600 accepted students submitted deposits to Drexel to start as freshmen this fall, representing a 2.5 percent increase over last year’s previous record of more than 3,500 accepted students (which was a 43 percent increase from the 2016 number).
These Dragons boasted higher test scores and GPAs compared with the 2017 and 2016 freshmen classes. This year’s point-in-time average SAT score is 1283, which is 20 points higher than last year’s average, and the median is 1290, which is 30 points higher than the 2017 median. The average high school GPA for this year’s incoming class of freshmen increased by 0.07 points to 3.72, with the median increasing 0.05 points to 3.73.
The increase in the SAT scores and GPAs of the incoming freshmen and the high retention rate for current students demonstrates that the University is continuing to attract and accept qualified students who will join the ranks of a new generation of “right fit” Dragons and be more likely to remain at the University and ultimately graduate. Drexel implemented this successful new enrollment strategy in 2015.
“Several years ago, Drexel took the lead in responding to secular changes in national higher education trends, and our ability to exceed our enrollment targets shows our strategy is working,” says Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success Randy Deike.