UMass Amherst Welcomes 5,260 First-Year Students to Campus

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After reviewing a record 50,000 applications, the University of Massachusetts Amherst this week will welcome a diverse and accomplished class of approximately 5,260 first-year students to campus.

First-year students will begin moving in Thursday, Aug. 31, and all students are encouraged to participate in Welcome to the U events, leadership opportunities and community building programs beginning this week and continuing through September.

The Class of 2027 ranks among the most diverse in the university’s history, with 36% of the class composed of ALANA (African, Latino/Hispanic, Asian, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and Native American) students and 16% of the class being under-represented minority students. Female students account for 54% of the class. The campus will also welcome 1,050 new transfer students to the campus community.

The academic profile of the incoming class is again outstanding. This group of first-year students has the highest average high school GPA (4.08) and highest average combined SAT score (1377) of any class during the past decade (submission of test scores is optional).

Overall fall undergraduate enrollment, including transfer students, is projected to be approximately 22,750 with 73 percent of them being Massachusetts residents.

The university received a record 50,320 applications for this year’s entering class of approximately 5,260 students. Massachusetts students number 3,540, or 67 percent. There are 1,255 students from out of state and 480 international students.

Commonwealth Honors College will welcome 550 students with an outstanding high school GPA (4.44), combined SAT scores (1424) and ACT scores (32.1).

This is the 17th year that the university offered an Early Action (EA) admission program whereby students apply early for admission and begin receiving notification of their acceptance by mid-December. The number of students using the EA option has increased annually from about 8,000 applicants in 2009 to 28,000 this year. More than half of the students apply through EA, and 2,990 students admitted through EA will enroll in the fall.