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It's getting harder to get into Georgia; Here are the numbers

University of Georgia is beginning 2018 with one of its highest-achieving freshmen classes. (Photo: nancylbadertscher@gmail.com)

ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia’s freshman class is in, and the standards for acceptance continue to rise.

Nearly 26,500 students applied, and about 5,750 of those are beginning classes.

“As the University of Georgia gains prominence as one of the top public research universities, the caliber of students we are attracting continues to rise,” said President Jere W. Morehead.

WHAT GRADES & SCORES DO I NEED?

The university reports that the class of 2022 has an average weighted high school GPA of 4.04, which is a record. The average ACT score is 30, which ties last year’s record.

For comparison, the average weighted GPA of incoming UGA students was 3.9 four years ago, and the average ACT score was 29.

TRENDING STORIES:

SAT scores of incoming students have reached a record level, with an average of 1365 for the Class of 2022 compared to 1344 last year.

The university says the rigor of students’ high school coursework, relative to what is available at their school, is a key factor in admissions decisions.

WHAT KIND OF STUDENT GETS ACCEPTED?

This class of freshmen completed an average of eight College Board Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual-enrollment courses in high school, which also ties last year’s record.

The new Georgia Commitment Scholarship program has created more than 260 need-based scholarships since it was launched in 2017, and a new program known as ALL Georgia is providing students from rural parts of the state with a network of tailored resources and programs.

The number of incoming students who self-identify as a member of a racial or ethnic minority has risen, with 31 percent of the Class of 2022 self identifying as members of a minority group.

Eighty-four percent of incoming students are Georgia residents, though it includes students from nearly every state and 47 countries around the world.

“This is an exciting time at the University of Georgia,” said interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Libby V. Morris. “Each year for the past several years we’ve had the privilege of enrolling students with increasingly impressive academic credentials, and each year our faculty and staff bring a renewed commitment to student success.”

This article was written by Eric Sturgis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.