The Dominican University welcomes over 600 students this fall, its largest freshman class to date. Enrollment numbers will be finalized and revealed in a census report by September, but university officials say 636 students will deposit their college admission deposits to maintain their positions.
University officials also recognize that the 2026 class will remain diverse, with at least 60% of students identified as Latinos, with a high academic background, averaging a 3.8 GPA.
Genearo Balcazar, DU’s vice president of admissions administration, said with so many freshman classes, the university may have encountered a different class first. Earlier this summer, officials told new students to pay an enrollment deposit by mid-July, according to Balcazar, in order to keep classes small and keep his student-teacher ratio at 15 to 1. I informed you that there is
“We purposely keep our classes small because that’s how we can help our students succeed,” Balcazar said, adding that as freshman classes grow, the university will reduce classes to accommodate students. He added that it has become restrictive.
Throughout its history, River Forest colleges have enrolled just under 500 freshmen. According to university data, DU’s largest freshman class was in 2016, when he had 495 students.
“We are really excited,” said Balcazar of introducing the 2026 class to the rest of the students.
According to Balcazar, this year’s freshmen reflect a large student body, with more than half being Latinos, mostly women and first-generation college students. The university typically draws students from Chicago and surrounding suburbs, many of whom are eligible for Pell Grants, a federal financial aid for low-income students.
So how did this happen?
Balcazar said he wished there was one thing he could point out and “explain it,” but the increase in freshmen has helped build career-focused academic programs and wraparound support services. We believe it is the result of years of hard work, including an initiative to help students. “Process, message and timing” worked, he said.
Besides, Balcazar told the Journal on Wednesday that the surge in undergraduate enrollment was likely an effect of the full reopening of schools last year.
“Receiving visual cues and reminders from teachers and high school college counselors to fill out the FAFSA application is very important for first-generation students. [Free Application for Federal Student Aid],” he said. [led to a] Application explosion and what follows [college enrollment] deposit. ”
Balcazar also told the WSJ that he’s noticed that students who took a gap year or postponed college enrollment during the pandemic are returning to school, but are choosing schools closer to home.
“I think we were doing pretty well during this time because of our geography, our strong reputation in the area, and the quality of our educational programs,” he said.
The fall semester is about to begin, but Balcazar says he’s already feeling the energy on campus.In recent weeks, the university welcomed SOAR freshmen and transfer students [Student orientation, Advising and Registration]Apart from that, the university will also unveil a new welcome center and refurbished hallway in Lewis Hall. One of them has a new heritage mural, and the others contain images of students.
“All of this combined creates this energy and good vibes, and I think people are feeling it,” he said. “I have to tell you: It’s hard work, but this is where all that work pays off. Now you can see the smiles on the faces of the students.”
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