T hey are the second largest and most academically prepared class in Georgia College & State University history, but their involvement and interest is what really sets our newest bobcats apart.

“The interest in Georgia College has never been greater,” said Joel Robinson, senior associate vice president for Enrollment Management. “Students are looking for the unique experience we offer that you can’t get anywhere else in Georgia.”

Robinson credits the university’s elite private school atmosphere that comes at a public university price and the small class sizes Georgia College offers as the driving factors for much of this interest.

New students also submitted an unparalleled number of applications—about 8,300—for the 2024-25 academic year. That’s an increase of 44% over the past two years. Despite being more selective, admitting 11% fewer students, Georgia College anticipates this class will be approximately 1,800, just shy of last year’s record-breaking freshmen class of 1,816.

“We admitted 560 fewer students than we did in fall 2023, but a much higher percentage of admitted students chose Georgia College this year,” Robinson said.

“Students respond positively to our national rankings, high retention and graduation rates, as well as the curricular and co-curricular transformative experiences that we offer,” he added. “We’ve also seen an increase in the academic preparedness of our incoming class. This is a group of exceptionally talented students.”

One of the state’s top three most-selective public universities, Georgia College has become a destination of choice for the best and brightest students from across the state and beyond. Many of these first-year students hail from 111 different counties across Georgia.

GCSU’s class of 2028 also boasts a record number of high-achieving students—over 850. Their unweighted average high school GPA is 3.64. More than 150 students graduated high school with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Learn more about the Engage Pillar in our Imagine 2030 Strategic Plan