UB Again Enrolls Most Academically Accomplished Freshman Class in Its History

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo has enrolled the most academically talented freshman class in its history, based on the average SAT scores of the 3,150 new students who begin classes this week.

The incoming class has an average SAT score of 1196, up four points from last year's average score, which at the time was the highest average SAT score in UB's history. Over the past five years, the average SAT score of UB freshmen has increased more than 30 points.

"We are very pleased with the size and academic profile of our freshman class," said UB Provost Satish Tripathi. "We continue to attract and enroll some of the best and brightest students in the country, in keeping with our aspirations to become one of the nation's premier public research universities."

SAT scores aren't the only indicator that talented students worldwide are attracted to UB, Tripathi noted. Undergraduate applications to UB have increased over the past 2 years, with 20,071 applications received for the 2008-09 academic year.

Although 35 percent of the Class of 2012 hails from Western New York, for the second consecutive year 7 percent of freshmen are here from out of state.

This year's class hails from 30 different states and territories -- from Alaska and Arizona to Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico. Six percent of the freshman class is international.

UB's Honors College continued to grow and attract some of the brightest high school students in the country. More than 300 students from 14 states and three countries were accepted into the highly regarded honors curriculum. Fifteen percent of freshman honors students are from out of state and the group possesses an average SAT score of 1369.

UB also is fulfilling its commitment to providing access for students who have the academic aptitude but who may not have the strongest academic preparation, Tripathi pointed out. For example, 16 percent of the freshman class was admitted to UB through the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and Academic Challenge and Enrichment (ACE) program. UB administers the largest EOP program in the state.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.