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Now that the first weeks of the fall semester have passed and the final student headcount is in, a complete picture of the incoming Christopher Newport University class has emerged. It is impressive. Students come from 23 states and 16 countries, and these Captains are a smart and accomplished crew.
The formation of the class began with their applications for admission. They applied to Christopher Newport in near-record numbers and enrolled with shining credentials, whether first-time-in-college students in the Class of 2028, transfer students joining other undergraduate classes or graduate students. For example, here is a profile of the first-time-in-college cohort:
- The average high school GPA is 3.74
- The average SAT score is 1,163, above the national average of 1,050
- Ten percent of the class qualified for the highly selective Honors Program and 35% were accepted into the President’s Leadership Program, while an ambitious and hardworking 8% are participating in both programs
The new transfer students also have strong and diverse backgrounds:
- 57% transferred from the Virginia Community College System
- 3.3 average GPA
- 29% identify as first-generation college students
- Top transfer majors: psychology, business, and biology
Diversity in all respects is also a hallmark of the new first-time-in college class. In terms of geographic diversity, new Captains voyaged here from Afghanistan, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Egypt, Honduras, Indian, Korea, Liberia, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Tanzania, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom. While the vast majority of U.S. students are from Virginia, 22 other states are also represented.
CNU’s leadership has been striving to make the University more accessible and affordable to students with financial need. Those efforts have resulted in about 25% of the class being first-year Pell Grant recipients. Additionally, more than 20% of the class is made up of students who are the first in their family to enroll in a four-year college.
Christopher Newport is also growing more diverse in other ways. Nearly 35% of the first-time-in-college and incoming transfer group are students of color, and that represents one of the highest figures in recent University history.
Not surprisingly, with the winningest college athletics program at any level in Virginia, athletes represent a substantial portion of the Class of 2028: 15%.
The graduate programs at CNU continue to grow in reach and reputation. Increasingly, they’re attracting students from other universities in addition to Captains seeking an advanced degree. For example, the Master of Financial Analysis Fall 2024 cohort includes students from institutions such as the University of Mary Washington, Lafayette College, and Norfolk State University. Meanwhile, “new to CNU” graduate students in the Master of Science programs include individuals from Bridgewater College, Randolph-Macon College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and the University of Guadalajara.