Clemson enrolls record-breaking freshman class

Published: August 20, 2012

CLEMSON — Clemson University is buzzing with activity this week as it welcomes its largest-ever freshman class that numbers more than 3,450 students.

Clemson received a record number of applications this year — 18,500 — and saw a 4 percent increase in yield, the percentage of accepted students who enroll.

“We have more students applying than ever before, more bright students applying than ever before, and these students have a number of educational options,” said Robert Barkley, director of admissions. “The swing in yield shows that these exceptional students realize the value of a Clemson education and the quality experience they’re going to receive here on campus.”

The unofficial average SAT score for the entering freshman class also sets a new record of 1245. Approximately 52 percent of entering freshmen were in the top 10 percent of their high school classes.

Another reason Clemson’s freshman class is so large is because of an increase in financial aid available.

“In addition to the generous state scholarships and federal grants that our students bring with them, Clemson provided an additional $8 million in scholarship support to this year’s incoming freshmen — an increase of over $3 million from the prior year,” said financial aid director Chuck Knepfle.

Approximately 95 percent of incoming freshmen from South Carolina receive either a Palmetto Fellows or LIFE Scholarship. On the average, in-state freshmen pay about 32 percent of the total cost of tuition.

Approximately 1,200 transfer students also are expected to enroll this fall, a slight increase from last year. One-third of those transfer students are coming from the Bridge to Clemson program at Tri-County Technical College.

Clemson is seeing an increase in the number of new students majoring in engineering: more than 1,100 freshman chose engineering majors, an increase of more than 50 percent over the past four years. That means that more than 30 percent of the freshman class this fall will be engineering majors, according to Randy Collins, associate dean of the College of Engineering and Science.

The trend applies to the graduate school as well. Total enrollment of master’s and doctoral students in engineering and science has risen by 50 percent in the past five years.

“The fact that so many students are choosing to major in engineering and the sciences is very promising for the future,” Collins said. “It means that Clemson will be educating even more engineers and scientists for the workforce of the state, region and nation.”

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