"^ Pendulum
Friday, August 23, 2002
Vol. 28, Issue 1
Elon University
Elon, N.C.
If it matters to you, it matters to The Pendulum.
Class of 2006 sets new
standards for university
Erin Cunningham
News £d/tor
Elon University’s 113th fresh
man class is setting a new stan
dard for 2002.
More applicants and a more
selective process contributed to
the rise in the average GPA of an
incoming Elon freshman. The
average rose to 3.6 on a four-point
scale, compared to last year’s
average of 3.5.
“There’s a different student
who’s interested in Elon,” said
Staci Powell, director of admis
sion records. Admissions saw a
17-percent increase in applica
tions for this school year, Powell
said.
This increase in applicants led
to a smaller percentage of students
accepted to the university.
“We accepted 50 percent this
year, and last year we accepted 64
percent,” Powell said. “We could
be more selective because of the
larger applicant pool.”
The incoming class scored an
average of 1145 on the SAT.
“The students themselves are
shaping the pool,” Klopman said.
“We are gradually moving to a
more selective criteria.”
Additionally, 56 percent were
ranked in the top quartile of their
graduating classes. Eleven years
ago, incoming freshmen for the
1991-1992 school year held an
average SAT score of 1030.
“We definitely want to increase
the quality of the class each year,”
said Susan Klopman, dean of
Admissions and Financial
Planning. “Our goal is to increase
the percentage of students academ
Average GPA of Incoming Class
Source; Elon Admissions Office
3.60
3.39 3.40
3,18 3.19 3.26 3.28
-Ho
Ox
Academic Year
Samiha Khanna/Graphics Editor
.ach class has its own personality. This one has been
on the move early with a clear idea of what they
wanted. And, they wanted Elon.
—Susan Klopman, dean of admissions
ically at the top of their class.”
At least 34 international stu
dents will also be on campus this
fall, Klopman said.
Although Elon’s averages con
tinue to rise, Klopman said, the
institution will continue to serve
the solid “B” student it has always
served.
“We’re not about to become
Harvard,” Klopman said. “That’s
not our goal.”
Most incoming freshmen this
year come from North Carolina
with 29 percent, and Maryland
with 12 percent, which is consis
tent with past incoming classes.
Nearly 15 percent of incoming
freshmen are fellows of science,
leadership, business, journalism/
communications, teaching and
honors. These students have an
average SAT score of 1248 and an
average GPA of 4.02.
Scholarship recipients have
also shown increased qualifica
tions. Thirty-one percent of the
class earned a Presidential
Scholarship. These students main
tained an average high school GPA
of 3.95 and an average SAT score
of 1248. These are only slight
increases from last year’s
Presidential Scholars. Next year,
the admissions office will aim for
residential Scholars to make up
one-third of the incoming class,
Klopman said.
Photo submitted
Liz Chmelo is iifted by orientation staff members R.J. Stioemaker,
Josti Daniei, Lauren Vater, Jennifer Collins, Greg Karpinski, Chris
Litctifield and Chad Nason as they complete the ropes course.
Orientation paves
way for freshmen
Katie Beaver
Orientation continued on page 15
Managing Editor
The phone rings, the computer
announces the arrival of a new e-mail
and a small group of students forms
outside Derek lAJther’s office waiting
for a turn to talk to him. Amid the dis
tractions, Luther smiles and sighs.
“Welcome to the typical day of the
Orientation Team,” he says.
Luther is coordinator of New
Student Orientation, an annual four-
day introduction to the Elon academic
and social communities for fieshmen
and transfer students. With the lielp of
16 head-staff members, 90 orientation
leaders and 80 volunteers, Luther
oiganizes everything from presenta
tions on social Issues to a student-fac-
ulty dessert reception.
Luther begias planning for orienta
tion in October, when he selects the
head staff by reviewing applications,
references and interviews. Woric
begins in earnest in March, after the
orientaticHi leaders are selected and the
entire Orientation Team attends orien
tation conferences. The finishing
touches are ^fedded by Maiy Wise,
assistant vice president of Academic
Affairs, who coordinates the qjening
of the school.
“We woilc hand to keep things new
and exciting,” Luther said. “We want
to do things that have never been done
before, and it’s important to be on our
game.”
The orientation head staff is made
up of Elon students who have been
members of Orientation Team at least
once before. The staffers arrive at Elon
two weeks before school starts to
begin training iind make preparatioas;
when the 90 orientation leaders arrive
one week before school starts, the liead
staff membere must teach them how to
woric and interact with the new stu
dents.
Junior Talitha Rector arrived iU
Elon Aug. 2 to prepare for head-staff
training.
Orientation continued on page 14
INSIDE
From a chess champ to a downhill skier,
meet 11 outstanding freshmen. Page 10
Get off to the right start with Elon A to Z.
Page 16
Fall athletic teams prepare for the season.
Page 19