Welcoming the 500

Largest Freshman Class Arrives on Campus

Published: Thursday, August 27, 2015

For the first time in its history, Benedictine College has welcomed an incoming freshman class of more than 500 students. Five hundred ten freshmen received their “beanies” in a longstanding tradition on Tuesday, the day before classes started. The freshmen will wear their beanies for the first week of school, removing them in a ceremony during the Opening Academic Convocation.
 

“Not only is this the largest freshman class we have ever recruited, it is also one of the best,” said Pete Helgesen, Dean of Enrollment Management.
 

This year’s freshmen come to Atchison from 37 states and have an average ACT score of 25 and an average GPA of 3.5. According to Helgesen, 53 of the new freshmen completed their entire high school careers with a perfect 4.0 GPA and 86% of the class is coming in with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
 

And this year’s class also includes eight National Merit Finalists, the largest number for any incoming class.
 

In March, Benedictine College announced a new National Merit Finalist Scholarship, providing full-tuition scholarships to any National Merit Finalists.
 

“Bringing these high achieving students to Benedictine College will only serve to elevate the level of academic excellence across the board,” said Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis. “We look forward to helping them achieve their college goals.”
 

Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college located on the bluffs above the Missouri River in Atchison, Kansas.  The school is proud to have been named one of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report as well as one of the top Catholic colleges in the nation by First Things magazine and the Newman Guide.  It prides itself on outstanding academics, extraordinary faith life, strong athletic programs, and an exceptional sense of community and belonging.  It has a mission to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.

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