CSB and SJU report strong enrollment numbers

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University together enrolled 3,860 first-year to senior students. The students hail from 38 states and 30 countries.

CSB's enrollment this fall is 2,012 students. Undergraduate enrollment at SJU totaled 1,848.

New student enrollment totaled 538 at CSB and 497 at SJU for a combined first-year class of 1,035. The new class comes from 27 states and 15 countries.

The academic profile (GPA, ACT score and class standing) of the new class is nearly identical to last year and is more racially and ethnically diverse. American students of color made up 13.3 percent of the overall student population and 17.2 percent of the new class; both are high water marks for the schools. International students made up 4.7 percent of the overall student population and 3.4 percent of the new entering class.

"We are very pleased with the quality and quantity of our new entering first-year and transfer students," said Karen Backes, dean of admission at CSB and SJU. "We exceeded the first-year enrollment goal at both institutions. This is the most geographically and racial/ethnically diverse class in the history of these two colleges, and the talent and achievements of these students are remarkable."

The overall retention of continuing students remained very high. Retention from the first year to the second year totaled 87 percent, a rate that continues to rank among the highest in the country.