Dawn BonkerChapman University offered admission to a remarkable first-year cohort of students for its class of 2025 – a resilient group that had their senior years interrupted by a pandemic – that has set the university on track to potentially welcome its most diverse class ever.
The accepted students were selected from a pool of more than 15,000 applicants, a 13.5% increase from just four years ago and the largest number in Chapman history. Collectively they represent a variety of backgrounds, cultures and geographic diversity.
‘These Are Stellar Students’
“Chapman’s growing prominence is certainly reflected in the number of applicants and their academic achievements. We have been incredibly impressed with the academic and personal accomplishments from all the students who chose to apply this year, and I’m especially proud to offer admission to a larger number of students that come from underrepresented communities,” said Marcela Mejia Martinez, assistant vice president in Chapman’s Office of Admission. These are stellar students who might be first generation or undocumented or underrepresented in higher education, and I am hopeful that they will chose to join the Chapman community.
Largest Ever Applicant Pool
To achieve a goal of 1,800 enrolled first-year students in fall 2021, slightly more than 8,000 outstanding students received acceptance letters to Chapman University’s Class of 2025. Admitted undergraduates have until May 1 to make their admission decisions.
Slightly more than half of the admitted students identify as African American, Latinx, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander or of multiple ethnicities. In addition, the accepted cohort includes:
- Students from all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C., Guam, Marshall Islands and Puerto Rico.
- 17.5% first-generation college students.
- More than 500 international students representing 72 countries.
Like many universities and colleges, Chapman did not require applicants to submit standardized test scores such as the SAT and ACT. For Chapman’s class of 2025, 79% applied test optional. Among the admitted, 71% applied test optional.
Holistic Admissions Review
While these numbers were influenced by the pandemic, Mejia-Martinez said, they also afforded her department the opportunity to strengthen its holistic application review process.
“In addition to academics, our admission team focused on some key areas like leadership, service and communication skills, and other non-cognitive variables,” she said. “We emphasized what we call ‘Strength of Character’ attributes and characteristics that identify a successful and competitive Chapman University applicant.”
