NORMAN, OKLA. – With the start of the fall 2023 semester, the University of Oklahoma is proud to announce the Class of 2027 is once again breaking records. It is OU’s largest, most diverse class and features more first-generation students and Davis United World College Scholars than any freshman class in the school’s 133-year history.
This year’s freshman class is composed of 5,198 students – an 11% increase in new students over last year and a sign of continued growth at OU. Of those 5,198 students, 39.3% percent identify as being from an underrepresented group, and more than 26% are first-generation college students. Additionally, 88 international students who are part of the Davis United World College Scholars Programare in this year’s freshman class.
“We are incredibly proud to welcome the remarkable Class of 2027 to the OU Family,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “These students will undoubtedly build upon our tradition of excellence – making a positive impact on their communities and our university while showcasing how an OU education truly changes lives.”
With a collective average high school GPA of 3.65, the Class of 2027 includes 644 incoming students with a high school GPA of 4.0 or better and 223 students who were ranked first in their high school graduating class. Among the incoming freshmen, 737 have qualified to receive Oklahoma’s Promise – a 20% increase from last year, with many utilizing OU’s Crimson Commitment resources, which provide support for fees and tuition.
“We are experiencing great momentum at the University of Oklahoma, as we welcome our largest incoming class in school history. It is an exciting time to be a member of the OU Family, and we are beyond thrilled to welcome this incredibly talented group of students,” said Jeff Blahnik, vice president for the Division of Enrollment Management and executive director of the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. “The OU academic experience is a dynamic one, where students are surrounded by opportunities to gain valuable, real-world experiences and connections that make their degree worth the investment. Students across the state, the nation and the world recognize OU as an exceptional institution to gain a world-class education and make a lasting difference in their communities.”
To accommodate growing class sizes at OU, in recent years the university has made key investments in areas that directly impact students, such as expansion of the Career Center; growth in strategic faculty hires; the addition of more academic advising positions; new targeted funding to sustain low-cost and free services, and to provide additional support for student-centric services, such as the University Counseling Center and SafeRide.
Class of 2027 statistics:
5,198 freshmen
Average GPA of 3.65
Average ACT score of 26.1
51.6% are Oklahoma residents
39.3% are underrepresented
26.5% are first-generation students
644 had 4.0 grade-point average in high school
223 were ranked first in their high school graduating class
88 are Davis United World College Scholars
Final enrollment reports for the semester will be available the third week of classes. Data from previous years can be found through OU’s Office of Institutional Research and Reporting.
