Hope College has again enrolled a record number of students, topping 3,400 for the first time.
Hope has enrolled 3,433 students this year.
It is the fourth year in a row that Hope has set an enrollment record, and the ninth consecutive year that enrollment has been above 3,200. Last year’s enrollment was 3,388.
“The college’s continued success in attracting students reflects the high degree to which families recognize the value of the high-quality education that Hope provides,” said William Vanderbilt, vice president for admissions. “We’re grateful that we continue to see such strong interest in Hope, particularly at a time when the number of college-age students nationwide has been declining.”
With the three returning classes being the largest in Hope’s history, Vanderbilt noted that the college deliberately sought not to achieve a freshman-class record this year. “It’s important to us that enrollment and the college’s capacity stay in sync so that we continue to deliver the outstanding experience that our students are seeking,” he said.
Hope has enrolled 834 students who are in college for the first time, including freshmen and several of the college’s non-degree-seeking students categorized as special students. Another 33 students have transferred to Hope from elsewhere.
The student body consists of 1,364 men and 2,069 women from 40 states and 23 foreign countries. The enrollment by class, with last year’s class in parentheses, is: freshmen, 809 (827); sophomores, 819 (860); juniors, 812 (758); seniors, 888 (851); and special students, 105 (92).
The largest representation is from Michigan with 2,288 students. Other states represented with 10 or more students include: Illinois, 549; Indiana, 94; Ohio, 77; California, 48; Wisconsin, 44; Texas, 29; Minnesota, 28; Colorado, 23; Florida, 18; New Jersey, 12; New York, 12; Missouri, 11; Virginia, 11; and Pennsylvania, 10.
Foreign countries represented in the student body include: Australia, Barbados, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Honduras, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Rwanda, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Turkey, Uganda and Vietnam.
Hope College was chartered in 1866 and is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America (RCA). The college offers majors through more than 50 departments leading to a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.