HAVERFORD WELCOMES CLASS OF 2009

Haverford College welcomes the Class of 2009 this week, one of the largest and most diverse classes in the college's history. For the Class of 2009, 3,115 students applied to Haverford, which is a 2.6 percent increase over last year's record number of applications. Slightly more than 26 percent of the applicants were admitted, the lowest in recent years..

The Class of 2009 consists of 320 students from 36 states, (D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Canadian provinces) and 19 countries. Of those who enrolled, 32.5 percent originally applied through the binding Early Decision process. Approximately 33 percent are students of color. Nine percent of students are international, 12.2 percent are first-generation college students, 5.6 percent are Quakers, and 13 students are children of alumni. The class is 53 percent women and 47 percent men.

"We are very pleased with the caliber of students that applied and are matriculating in Haverford's Class of 2009," said Haverford President Thomas R. Tritton. "Haverford's national reputation as one of the top liberal arts colleges, and its commitment to integrative learning, personalized educational experiences, Honor Code, and emphasis on service and community, make the school very attractive to college applicants."

Haverford's commitment to need-blind financial aid is also an important factor attracting top students from across the socio-economic spectrum. The successful completion of Haverford's $200-million capital campaign last year enabled Haverford to continue its commitment to need-blind financial aid. Haverford offers a strong financial aid program to students who need it.
"We are excited to welcome Haverford's Class of 2009," said new Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Jess H. Lord. "We are witnessing a continued increase in awareness and interest in Haverford. We actively seek out top candidates from across the country and rely on our loyal alumni to help locate students early in the process through personal outreach."

Students in Haverford's Class of 2009 have notable achievements in many areas including academics, the arts, athletics, and community involvement. Ninety-one percent graduated in the top 10 percent of their class. Sixty-eight percent took AP courses in at least four different academic disciplines. Approximately 48 percent scored above 700 in their SAT Verbal, SAT Math, and
SAT Writing exams. Several students in the incoming class have unique backgrounds.

Haverford's Class of 2009 includes a student from Boxford, Mass., who won a national prize from the History Channel out of 600,000 entries on a video he produced about the 19th century ice-shipping industry; a student from Santa Fe, N.M., who spent one year working in a Nepalese orphanage in 2004; a student from Chevy Chase, Md., who won a fellowship to hike Hadrian's Wall in Great Britain; a student from Volcano, Hawaii, who attended Congressional Page School in Washington, D.C.; a student from Los Angeles who is a published cartoonist; a student from Palm Desert, Calif., who has gained recognition for
his leadership in Baha'i Faith activities; a student from Tracy's Landing, Md., who was selected to attend a Model UN leaders program in Vienna and Prague; and a student from Dayton, Ohio, who pilots an airplane, studied the Roman Empire on site in Italy, France, and England, worked for Habitat for Humanity in South Carolina, skied and ice-climbed the Canadian Rockies, and is an all-Ohio soccer player.