A record number of first-time students has helped boost overall enrollment at Hope College to the second highest total in the college's history.
A record number of first-time students has helped boost overall enrollment at Hope College to the second highest total in the college's history.
Hope has enrolled 2,999 students this fall, including 763 students attending college for the first time. Hope set its previous enrollment record, 3,015 students, in the fall of 2000, the only time overall enrollment at the college has ever topped 3,000. The previous high for first- time students was 755, set in the fall of 1999.
The student body is comprised of 1,190 men and 1,809 women from 42 states and 36 foreign countries. Students transferring to Hope from other colleges and universities total 57, compared with 73 in 2000. There are 98 students in off-campus programs, compared to 107 last year.
The enrollment by class, with last year's class in parentheses, is: freshmen, 801 (778); sophomores, 718 (744); juniors, 687 (652); seniors, 692 (719); and special students, 101 (122).
The largest representation is from Michigan with 2,298 students, followed by Illinois, 248; Indiana, 97; New York, 57; Ohio, 55; Wisconsin, 31; Minnesota, 27; Iowa, 25; New Jersey, 17; Pennsylvania, 16; and California, Colorado and Florida with 10 each.
Foreign countries represented in the student body include: Albania, Argentina, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kosovo, Liberia, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
Hope College was chartered in 1866 and is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America (RCA). The college offers courses in 56 majors leading to a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.