York College of PA Class of 2027 the largest since 2018

York College of Pennsylvania is expecting more than 900 new students to arrive over the next week or so. That’s a 3% increase over 2022 and the largest class of new students since fall 2018. 

“We welcome the largest class in five years to York College,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management Brian Hazlett. “These are students who are looking for the opportunities York College provides: experiential learning, community engagement, career preparation, and a welcoming environment. We look forward to helping them achieve their goals, and watching as they do wonderful things throughout their time here.”

Some interesting facts about York College’s new students include:

Nearly 775 are first-year students, and approximately 125 have transferred to York College. Students are arriving from as far away as California, Oregon, Texas, Washington, Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, North Carolina, and Florida. By county, the top high schools  represented are:  from York County - Dallastown, York County School of Technology, Spring Grove, Central York, William Penn; from Pennsylvania - Hempfield High School, Donegal High School, and Elizabethtown Area High School; from outside of Pennsylvania - Harford Technical High School (MD), Northern High School (MD), Liberty High School (MD), and Central Regional High School (NJ). International students in the Class of 2027 hail from the Philippines, Nigeria, India, Ethiopia, Australia, Nepal, Dominican Republic, Georgia, and Canada. 

Students’ academic performance is impressive: 26% of first-year students have a 4.0 GPA or higher, and the average GPA for new students is 3.4. Eight students are high school valedictorians, and of those reporting class rank, nearly 20% were in the top 10% of their high school class. Ten percent of SAT takers scored a 700 or higher on either the math or reading sections of the test. The top five York College academic programs chosen as majors  are Undeclared, Nursing, Mechanical Engineering, Psychology, and Criminal Justice.

Other interesting characteristics of the class:  22% are First-Generation college students; 19% or 155 new students will participate in YCP’s DIII varsity athletic programs; and 27% of new students identify from underrepresented populations. Representative of York College’s status as a Military Friendly School, nine students are current or former members of the Armed Services.  

Graduate student enrollment increased 39% over 2022, with 217 students making deposits to enroll in graduate programs in 2023. The top three program areas chosen are Education, Nursing, and Business.

York College, like other institutions, annually surveys its admitted students to gain perspective on what they are looking for in a college experience. Ninety-eight percent of those who chose to attend the College indicated they were either very or somewhat certain about their decision.

A job related to academic interests led the activities that are likely to be a part of their college experience at 35%, followed by paid employment of any kind paid employment of any kind – 30%; school activities/organization – 30%; athletic – 28%;  and community service - 24%,  indicative of York College’s commitment to engaging the local community through giving back.

What component of the learning experience was most important to students? Eighty-two percent responded internships/applied learning; 44% said develop specific skills; 32% chose peer-to-peer learning; 27% responded study abroad; 26% picked co-op education (like that of Engineering majors at York College); and 22% said faculty-led research.

Career-focused programs were very or somewhat important to 99% of those who enrolled at York College. Small classes and individualized attention was chosen by 98%; interacting with students of different backgrounds was indicated by 94%; curriculum that frames learning within current events was recorded at 96%; and traditional liberal arts core curriculum was very or somewhat important to 74%.

And when asked to reflect on all the factors in their college choice, 55% of students who enrolled at York College of Pennsylvania indicated affordability, financial aid, and net price were most influential; specific academic programs came in at 38%; academic reputation/prestige was chosen by 38%; internships and applied learning was most influential for 36%; and preparation for career/job opportunities was chosen by 32%.