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Welcome back, Golden Flashes!

Last year's first-year students returned to continue their education at a rate not seen since 2015 as ������ boasted an outstanding 82% retention rate. In addition, the university welcomed its largest freshman class to the Kent Campus since before the pandemic. 

Overall, the Kent Campus enrolled more students, and the university's Regional Campus system enrolled 5,718 degree-seeking students, solidifying the university's long-standing position as Northeast Ohio's premier institution for higher learning.

The Class of 2028 arrived on the Kent Campus both strong in size and in academic success, boasting an outstanding 3.61 GPA. It's the largest incoming class to the Kent Campus since 2019 and the eighth-largest incoming class in the university's 114-year history. The majority of first-year students, four in five, hail from Ohio, with 16% of the new class joining from other states.

Four percent of the incoming class arrived from outside of the United States, further illustrating the university's commitment to offering strong educational partnerships with nations across the globe combined with more than 200 education-abroad programs available in 60 countries.  

New Golden Flashes Arrive Ready to Learn

Kent State's affordability fuels its increasing enrollment and strong retention of returning students. The university was recently ranked as the No. 1 most affordable college in Ohio by Money.com. 

“Our newest Golden Flashes are enthusiastic, and they're already excelling in the classroom,” Kent State President Todd Diacon said. “Our high retention percentage shows us that we have risen to the challenge of providing strong campus life and education for our students. In short, our students are convinced they've made the right choice.”

The large number of returning students from the 2023 cohort marks the second-highest retention rate in the university's history in large part due to Kent State's commitment to outstanding and award-winning student support. 

One in three students (34%) in the freshman class is a first-generation student, and one in five (21%) is underrepresented, which includes African American, Hispanic, Native American and multiracial students. Both categories are 1% increases compared with the previous class.

Kent State welcomed a total of 8,978 new degree-seeking students, which includes freshman, transfer and international students. Kent State was a popular choice for new students, with the university receiving a total of 28,000 applications, which represents a 9% increase over last year and a 17% increase over 2022.

Kent State’s Regional Campuses saw a 20.6% increase in transfer students, much of this due to the closure of Eastern Gateway Community College in Steubenville and Youngstown, Ohio. Enrollment in Kent State’s College Credit Plus program continues to grow with more than 3,600 students choosing Kent State to start taking college courses, up 10.4% from last year.

One in six new students (nearly 700 in total) is a member of the largest incoming group of new students accepted into Kent State’s Honors College. This program enrolls students who have demonstrated the potential for significant academic and creative ability in high school by taking rigorous coursework, such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, honors or college credit, along with other activities and leadership experiences.

This fall, Kent State has a total international enrollment of 2,201, a significant increase (6.1%) over last year. 

Welcoming More Architects, Engineers and Business Professionals

The College of Aeronautics and Engineering (6.4%), the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (6.3%) and the Ambassador Crawford College (4.2%) saw the largest enrollment increases. Total enrollment in the Ambassador Crawford College is 3,821; the College of Aeronautics and Engineering is 1,420; and the College of Architecture and Environmental Design is 1,241.

Enrollment is 25,530 at the Kent Campus and reaches 34,012 when including the entire eight-campus system. Students are enrolled from 49 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands and 87 of Ohio's 88 counties. Also, the university's international students come from 102 different countries.

Kent State’s eight campuses are located in Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Kent, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas.

For more information about Kent State, visit www.kent.edu.