May 12, 2022

Dear Members of the Drexel Community,

Spring is traditionally viewed as a time of rebirth and renewal. This especially holds true here at Drexel, as we now have a clearer picture of the new first-year class that will join us on campus in the fall. After a historic May 1 National Candidate Decision Day turnout, we are delighted to report that the incoming class of 2022 will be larger — and more academically talented — than we had initially anticipated.

Given the lingering concerns and uncertainties that continue to cloud the current academic landscape, we are extremely proud to have received 3,255 deposits as of May 2. Applying a conservative summer melt estimate, we expect to welcome more than 2,900 first-year students this fall, which would represent a 2% increase from last year's class and 100 students above our original enrollment target.

Our Test-Optional policy, now in its second year, has continued to attract higher-achieving students and applicants from more diverse populations. The SAT scores submitted by this year's incoming class carry a median of 1340 — a full 20 points higher than those of the class of 2021 — and a GPA of 3.84, also a significant increase. Just as importantly, this class will continue to reflect the intentional gains that we have achieved regarding demographic expansion within our student body: 17% of this new class identify as underrepresented students of color; 12% are international students hailing from more than 60 countries; and almost 30% are first-generation college students. This class will more closely resemble the fabric of our evolving global society while adding to the diversity of our campus.

The caliber and size of this class represent an amazing achievement. We would like to congratulate the Enrollment Management team, along with the deans of our colleges and schools, the leaders of our administrative units, and our University community for their collaborative efforts and support throughout this recruiting season. Together, all of you continue to prevail over the challenges presented by the declining number of high school graduates in the Northeast region and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to make Drexel a preferred destination for talented and aspiring learners. This will be the first incoming class in almost two years that will have the opportunity to attend a full slate of admitted students' events here on campus.

We thank you for all your hard work and dedication in recruiting this class. You truly have gone beyond the call to demonstrate all that makes Drexel such an amazing place. We look forward to welcoming the incoming class of 2022 this fall.

Sincerely,

John Fry
President

Evelyn Thimba
Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management