Academically competitive class of 2003 arrives Sunday at Fairfield University | Press Releases

The Class of 2003 that arrives at Fairfield University on Sunday, Sept. 5, is among one of the most academically competitive the University has welcomed. The 847 members of the freshman class on average ranked in the top 25 percent of their high school classes while nearly 25 percent were in the top 10 percent.

Thirty-six percent scored 1200 or more on the SATS, while the class SAT average reached a nine-year high of 1160.

The University has selected 120 students as Fellows, Presidential Scholars and Deans Scholars, based on their academic success. Among them are 13 National Merit commended or semi-finalist scholars.

Applications to Fairfield have grown nearly 25 percent in the past three years, reaching an all-time high of 6,457 for this year's class. Fairfield's goal to maintain a freshman class enrollment of about 825, means the competition to gain entry to Fairfield was higher this year.

Class members also include 28 class or student council presidents and 53 yearbook editors and newspaper editors. More than half the class comes to Fairfield with significant community service experience.

Family tradition and ties continue to be strong with nearly 100 members of the Class of '03 having siblings, parents or grandparents who attended Fairfield.

The state contributing the most students to the Class is New York with 234, followed by Massachusetts with 181 and Connecticut with 174. Class of 2003 students come from a total of 25 states, Puerto Rico and several countries, including Peru, India, Switzerland, Brazil and El Salvador. Adding to the international flavor at Fairfield, which last year had students from 23 countries on its campus, will be 20 international visiting students. Other new students entering Fairfield this fall are 37 transfer students.

Students have selected which schools to study in at Fairfield, including the College of Arts and Sciences and Schools of Business, Nursing and Engineering. The most popular declared majors in the arts and sciences are biology and psychology, while in business they are finance and management.