NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trey Strange, a Diagonal native, enrolled at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee this semester as part of the university’s largest class yet. The school kicked off its fall 2019 semester with a record-breaking enrollment number as the university welcomed 8,481 students to campus, tripling the 2,796 students enrolled in 2000 and marking a 57 % increase in the last decade. This marks Belmont’s 19th consecutive year of record enrollment. As part of its Vision 2020 strategic plan, Belmont aims to enroll 8,888 students by the Fall 2020 semester, providing more students than ever the opportunity to embrace the Belmont mission to “engage and transform the world.”
Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “Without a doubt Belmont University is a special place. Home to dedicated faculty and staff who are committed to student success, top-ranked academic programs that meet market needs, holistic education in and out of the classroom and a 94% job placement rate, this campus is keeping students at the center of all we do. I’m proud to serve here, and I’m grateful that so many students continue to want to be a part of this community and our mission to ‘engage and transform the world.’”
Nearly 8,000 applications for freshman admissions resulted in an incoming class of 1,724 freshmen, the largest freshman class in university history. This is also anticipated to be the largest freshman class at a private college/university in Tennessee for this fall. In addition, Belmont continues to be among the top destinations for transfer students as 472 transfers joined the campus this semester. The university’s graduate schools, which offer more than 25 master’s programs and five doctoral programs, attracted 681 new students for the 2019-20 academic year.
This year’s incoming freshman class hails from 45 states and represents nine foreign countries, with 77 percent of the class originating from outside of Tennessee. As a group, Belmont’s Class of 2023 scored an average of 27 on the ACT and held an average high school GPA of 3.7.
Belmont’s student body currently consists of 6,863 undergraduate students and 1,618 pursuing graduate/professional paths.
Associate Provost and Dean of Enrollment David Mee added, “Belmont continues to craft a remarkable enrollment story. The University’s record enrollment this fall, coupled with record freshman and graduate student classes, is a testament to the enduring success of the University in attracting students from every state and around the globe. The Belmont mission and opportunities are compelling - and another year of record enrollment at Belmont means there will be more dynamic and talented students than ever making a difference on campus and in the Nashville community.”