ATLANTA—Georgia State University has enrolled this fall semester the largest, most academically qualified freshman class in the institution’s history, following its consolidation with Georgia Perimeter College in January.
More than 3,700 freshmen are enrolled in this fall’s class at the university’s downtown Atlanta campus, up 11 percent from the record 3,350 freshmen who enrolled the previous fall. The average high school grade point average for incoming freshmen is also an all-time high of 3.5, up from 3.4 the previous fall semester. The incoming class at the downtown campus once again sets records for diversity, with the number of African-American students up by 4 percent, and the number of Hispanic students up by 15 percent.
“Georgia State attracts a larger and stronger class of students every year while continuing to represent the incredible diversity of the state of Georgia,” said Timothy Renick, the university’s vice president for enrollment management and student success. “With the consolidation with Perimeter College, we are now able to serve even a broader range of students.”
Including Perimeter College, more than 5,700 freshmen are enrolled at the combined institution, bringing Georgia State’s student body to more than 50,000 students, the largest in Georgia.
The strong, historic ties between the two institutions continue post-consolidation, with an 80 percent increase in the number of Perimeter College students who have enrolled for the first time this fall at the main campus downtown. This adds to the pre-consolidation figure of nearly 1,500 students of the former Georgia Perimeter College who transferred annually to Georgia State. Transfers from Perimeter College have performed as well academically as students who began their college careers at the downtown campus.
Georgia State’s Perimeter College provides a gateway for students into higher education by offering associate degrees in more than 30 areas of concentration. Students can then transition to Georgia State’s downtown campus to complete their bachelor’s degree.
The university’s Honors College also continues to grow in size and quality. This fall, the college welcomed 247 new students, bringing the total to more than 1,600 students.
The new students admitted into the Honors College have a record average SAT score of 1360, up 40 points from fall 2015, with a record high-school grade point average of 3.9, up from 3.8.
“We are thrilled about the profile of our incoming class of students. Our continued growth is a direct result of the strong community, experiential and academic experiences we offer our students,” said Larry Berman, dean of the college. “Honors College students have access to an accelerated Bachelor’s/Juris Doctor program, a specialized internship program, national scholarship and fellowship counseling, faculty mentoring and a leadership certificate program. Georgia State is ascending and the Honors College is proud to be a part of its growth and development.”