First Class

For its 125th birthday, NC State is getting a transformative gift: a new class of freshmen, one of the most talented the university has ever welcomed.

The 4,316 new freshmen come from an impressive pool of applicants. More than 20,000 people sought admission as freshmen, the most in university history. The average SAT score for this year’s enrollees is 1219, the first time a group of Wolfpack freshmen has averaged better than a 1200.

A few more facts about the 2012 freshmen:

• 79% were in the top 20 percent of their graduating high school class
• Their average weighted high school grade-point average was 4.37
• 15% have a parent who attended NC State
• The 2012 freshmen come from 99 North Carolina counties, 41 states and 20 foreign countries.

“Beyond numbers, this is a great group of freshmen,” said Thomas Griffin, director of undergraduate admissions. “Most have participated in leadership activities in high school and many have volunteered or participated in service to their school and community. Many have been recognized in their high school and community for their achievements.

“The bottom line is that this is just a very talented group of incoming students,” he added.

Raleigh Adams, a member of the 2012 freshman class, is excited to join the Wolfpack. A Burlington native, he comes from a long line of NC State supporters and graduates. More than 10 people in his family attended NC State, dating back to his great-grandfather, who graduated in 1904.

“I never had any doubt that I wanted to go to NC State,” said Adams, who plans to study architecture. “I didn’t consider any other place. I didn’t even apply anywhere else. It was here and here alone.”

With help from friends and family, students began returning to campus Friday: