Accessible education: Few are doing it as well as Montclair State University.
For the third consecutive year, the university welcomed its largest-ever incoming class, 4,186 first-year students, which pushes the total university enrollment to more than 22,200 students.
In addition to these record numbers, the university also welcomed more than 900 students enrolled at Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, which became part of the university on July 1.
Nearly half of Montclair’s students receive federal Pell Grants because they come from lower-income families. And all students will have access to $32 million in institutional financial aid, the largest total in Montclair’s 115-year history.
Montclair: By the numbers
Facts about the Class of 2027 at Montclair State University:
- Students come from 31 states and 12 countries;
- The class boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.3 for the third straight year;
- More than 50% of the undergraduate student population identify as minority group members;
- 45% of students identify as Hispanic, further solidifying Montclair’s status as a Hispanic-Serving Institution;
- 44% are first-generation college students.
President Jonathan Koppell said the school is meeting its mission.
“Our commitment to both accessibility and excellence is drawing students and families to us in record numbers,” he said. “In a time when college enrollment is declining nationally, they understand the value of the opportunities we offer and our commitment to student success.”
Koppell said the big-picture metrics mean a lot, too. The Class of 2027 joins the biggest returning student population to make up the highest total enrollment in the university’s history, surpassing last year’s record-breaking student body.
“It is particularly gratifying that our largest-ever enrollment is a result not just of new students coming to Montclair, but record numbers of students returning to campus to continue their education and complete their degree,” he said. “Growth does not matter if we are not achieving it in ways that benefit our students first and foremost, and we will continue to challenge ourselves each day to raise the bar for them.”
