Iowa State university’s enrollment is bouncing back after the hit caused by the pandemic in 2020. This fall Iowa State saw a 6% increase in first-year students, an increase of 316 students from last fall. While total enrollment is still down from its pre-pandemic levels by 1,117 students are returning in the university’s newest class.

The new freshman class is the most diverse class in Iowa State’s history according to the Office of the Registrar at Iowa State. Multicultural students make up 18.2% of the freshman class including 980 separate students. The freshman class also includes 2,532 international students, stemming from 112 separate countries.

The freshman class also sports some of the highest high school GPAs out of previous classes, with an average high school GPA of 3.70.

The strong diverse presence in Iowa State’s newest class doesn’t cancel the strong Iowan roots at Iowa State, with 56.1% of the student population coming from Iowa. People from all corners of the state find their way to Iowa State, with students coming from all 99 counties in Iowa.

Iowa State’s enrollment statistics also reflected a strong interest in STEM fields across the student population. Almost 60% of students at Iowa State are enrolled in STEM-related majors. This vast involvement in STEM is a testament to Iowa State’s leadership in and dedication to the fields.

In an article posted by Iowa State’s news service, the president of Iowa State University, Wendy Winterstein, commented on the opportunities at Iowa State and the culture that pushes students to succeed.

“Students are eager to embrace Iowa State’s innovative mindset and enhance their classroom learning with undergraduate research, learning communities and many experiential opportunities such as those offered in our new Student Innovation Center,” said Winterstein.