Class of 2026 Admitted to Colby

Announcements4 MIN READ

From its largest pool of applicants, the College offers admission to a diverse, high-achieving range of students

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By Bob Keyes
Contact: George Sopko ([email protected]) 207-859-4346
March 21, 2022

Colby has offered admission to 1,258 students to the Class of 2026, with selections made from a pool of 16,891 candidates. The College admitted 7 percent of students who applied from the largest and most competitive applicant pool in Colby’s history.

“Our admissions committee was extraordinarily impressed by the breadth of talent, resilience, and achievements displayed by our applicants this year,” said Randi Arsenault ’09, assistant vice president of admissions and financial aid and dean of admissions. “We look forward to seeing the impact they will have on our community and the world in the years to come.”

The admitted students represent all 50 U.S. states and 88 countries. Approximately 14 percent are non-U.S. citizens. Among U.S. students, nearly 40 percent identify as a person of color. The median SAT is 1500. The median ACT is 34. Ninety percent of the students are expected to graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class.

The students and their families will benefit from Colby’s nationally recognized financial aid programs, including the Colby Commitment, which promises to meet 100 percent of each admitted student’s demonstrated financial need without loans. Colby guarantees parents or guardians will pay $0 if they have an income of $65,000 or less, approximately the median household income in the U.S., and assets typical of that range. This year, Colby also introduced the Weiland Welcome Grant, which will provide $1,250 in addition to financial aid for expenses associated with necessary school items to eligible first-year students.

In addition, admitted students whose parents and guardians earn up to $150,000 in total household income and typical assets qualify for the Fair Shot Fund, capping the parent and guardian contribution at $15,000 and often making a Colby education more affordable than attending a public institution. 

A Time of Significant Growth and Momentum

The incoming students will arrive during a time of growth and momentum for the College. The Paul J. Schupf Art Center, a dynamic new hub for the visual and performing arts, will open soon in downtown Waterville, and the Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts is scheduled to open in 2023 on campus.

In addition, the College also recently established the Island Campus in midcoast Maine after acquiring Allen and Benner islands from the Up East Foundation and Wyeth Foundation for American Art. The longtime summer home of the artist Andrew Wyeth and his wife, Betsy, the adjacent islands five miles out to sea offer Colby students unique and timely cross-discipline research opportunities in a range of academic programs, including the marine sciences and the arts.

“This is an important moment in the world right now, and Colby is in a strong position to provide these impressive students the tools they need to shape the future in a positive way as leaders, thinkers, and innovators.”

Matt Proto, Vice President and Chief Institutional Advancement Officer

From the time they arrive on campus, incoming members of the Class of 2026 will be given every opportunity to pursue personalized academic interests while receiving the benefit of a broad liberal arts education. The Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship prepares students to be effective innovators and entrepreneurs. The Buck Lab for Climate and Environment supports climate change and other environmental initiatives, including student research and experiential learning. The Linde Packman Lab for Biosciences Innovation prepares students to become the next generation of science leaders and innovators.

The first of its kind at a liberal arts college, Colby’s Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence allows students to apply their broad-based liberal arts thinking to issues related to artificial intelligence and machine learning. Through DavisConnects and external College partnerships, Colby ensures that all students, regardless of financial background or personal networks, have access to funded internships, research opportunities, and global experiences.

The students also will have access to the newly opened, state-of-the-art Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, the most advanced D-III athletic facility in the country, and the Colby College Museum of Art and its renowned collection of art, including the Lunder Collection, that serves as a teaching tool across the curriculum.

“Members of the Class of 2026 will be joining the Colby community at an incredibly exciting time in the College’s history,” said Vice President and Chief Institutional Advancement Officer Matt Proto. “The range and depth of opportunities are extraordinary, and we hope each member of the class takes advantage of as many as possible. This is an important moment in the world right now, and Colby is in a strong position to provide these impressive students the tools they need to shape the future in a positive way as leaders, thinkers, and innovators.”

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