CSB and SJU report strong enrollment numbers

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University together enrolled 3,864 first-year to senior students. The students hail from 40 states and 34 countries.

CSB's enrollment this fall is 2,031 students. Undergraduate enrollment at SJU totaled 1,833.

New student enrollment totaled 490 at CSB and 449 at SJU for a combined first-year class of 939. The new class comes from 29 states and 14 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 12 percent of the overall student population and 14 percent of the new class; both are high water marks for the schools. International students made up 6 percent of the overall student population and 4 percent of the new entering class.

"We are excited with the quality of our new entering first year and transfer students," said Karen Backes, dean of admission of CSB and SJU. "It was wonderful recruiting such a talented, diverse group of students." 

The overall retention of continuing students remained very high. Retention from the first year to the second year totaled 89 percent, a rate that continues to rank among the highest in the country.