08/23 - The University of Scranton Welcomes Class of 2006

The University of Scranton welcomed over 1330 students this weekend, including 964 full-time freshman students; 72 transfers to the undergraduate day school; 96 students in College of Graduate and Continuing Education, the university's division for adult and part-time students; and more than 200 students entering the graduate school.

More students applied to The University of Scranton this year than ever before in the school's 114 year history. The entering undergraduate students were drawn more than 5,121 applicants and over 41,560 inquiries, representing a 35 percent increase in applicants and a 16 percent increase in inquiries above last year.

The freshman class has an average SAT score of 1126, an 11-point increase above last year's class average.

Incoming students at The University of Scranton represent 16 states. Students joining the university's community this year come from as close as the hill section of Scranton, and as far away as New Hampshire, Florida, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, and Oregon.

The university enrolls approximately 125 students from 30 countries, many of whom are graduate school students. The University of Scranton has been educating international students since 1946. In the past five years, undergraduate and graduate students from 55 different countries have studied at The University of Scranton. This year, incoming students represent 10 countries, including Ireland, India, Taiwan and Mexico.

Of the incoming, undergraduate, full-time students, 28 percent are from local high schools, although only 66 percent will commute. The remaining 34 percent will live in the university's residence halls.

The incoming class includes 59 children of University of Scranton alumni.

Majors seeing a significant increase this year include nursing, which is up 46 percent, and biology, which is up 32 percent. Many of the biology students are enrolled in the university's pre-med program, which has a long-standing history of performance above national averages. The University of Scranton's medical school acceptance rate for class of 2002 graduates is at an unprecedented 100 percent.

The University of Scranton offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs of study, including two new master's degree programs in education. This year the university introduced a combined five-year bachelor's/master's program in special education/elementary education to allow graduates to earn both a second credential and a master's degree. It is the only program of its kind in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The university also introduced a new master's degree in special education. Graduates of this comprehensive program will receive a master of science in special education and a Pennsylvania credential for teaching exceptional students from nine disability areas from kindergarten through grade 12.