Montclair State University Welcomes Largest Incoming Class in School History

Institution continues ascension with record-breaking Class of 2025

Montclair, NJ (09/01/2021) — As college enrollment numbers continue to decline nationwide among first-year students during the coronavirus pandemic, Montclair State University is bucking the trend.

The institution welcomed 3,619 first-year students to campus for the fall 2021 semester. It is the largest incoming class in the University's 113-year history and is 14% larger than the previous record. The total is also a 16% jump from the fall of 2020.

Members of the Class of 2025 represent 32 states and 11 other countries. But the class isn't just bigger; it also boasts an average high school GPA of 3.32, marking the second consecutive year the mark has been above 3.3.

"We are excited to welcome such a large, diverse and talented group of students to Montclair State University," says President Jonathan Koppell. "They are joining an institution that will empower them to discover their passions and solve our most pressing problems. I cannot wait to see what they achieve."

Montclair State has maintained its momentum in spite of the pandemic. Evolving from a Carnegie R3 research doctoral institution to R2 high-research activity and New Jersey Public Research University designations in the span of just three years, the institution's reputation in both the Garden State and abroad has grown exponentially.

One of the only New Jersey universities to welcome students back to live and learn on campus in 2020 (without going entirely remote due to a coronavirus outbreak), the institution's ability to provide a safe, affordable and high-quality educational experience has students from all corners of the world taking notice - and joining the state's second-largest university in record numbers.

About Montclair State University

Montclair State University is a research doctoral institution ranked in the top tier of national universities. Building on a distinguished history dating back to 1908, the University today has 10 colleges and schools that serve 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students with more than 300 doctoral, master's and baccalaureate programs. Situated on a beautiful, 252-acre suburban campus just 12 miles from New York City, Montclair State delivers the instructional and research resources of a large public university in a supportive, sophisticated and diverse academic environment.

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Credit: Mike Peters, Montclair State University