Our Visitors Center student staff provide vivid examples of the increasing numbers of extraordinarily talented students who are making UConn their school of choice.

The University's own research suggests that students are attracted to UConn's spirited academic environment, nationally recognized Honors Program, our innovative and personalized approach to undergraduate education, championship athletics and residential experience that integrates campus living and learning.

Over the past two years, UConn has experienced a 32 percent increase in the size of its freshmen class, while the number of freshmen minority students has increased by 34 percent. The academic strength of incoming students to the main campus, as measured by SAT scores, increased by 24 points over the last two years. Moreover, 53 of Connecticut's high school valedictorians and salutatorians chose to attend UConn in 1999.

UConn distinguishes itself among research universities by engaging undergraduate students in the process of critical academic investigation. The Undergraduate Research Office encourages students to explore topics of particular interest and allocates funds to support them. Whether students are writing a script, analyzing texts in the humanities, evaluating data in the social sciences or running experiments in a lab, the undergraduate research experience has become a hallmark of the University.

The Honors Program, for which students from all schools are eligible, also takes UConn's high-quality education to the next level, by encouraging independent inquiry and creative thinking. Ranked nationally in Sullivan & Randolf's Ivy League Programs at State School Prices, the program was named one of the two best in the northeast, including New England, New York and New Jersey.

The level of personal attention that UConn provides is another important factor for students and their parents. With a faculty/student ratio of 15:1, students benefit from close interaction with UConn professors.

An enriched campus life also contributes to UConn's popular standing with undergraduates. The newly renovated Northwest Quadrangle, for example, is a supportive residential community for approximately 800 first-year students, as well as 160 upper class mentors. As part of the Freshman Experience, this supportive environment gives new students the opportunity to merge classroom and co-curricular activities to create a more comprehensive learning experience.

With advances in every area of university life, UConn is moving swiftly to the forefront of public higher education in the nation, becoming the school of choice for more and more young scholars.