Class of 2030 Admitted to Colby
New programs and opportunities expand Colby’s reputation and reach
Colby continues to see a record number of applications for admission, confirming the College’s recent initiatives are enhancing its recruitment and enrollment outcomes. The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid said that 21,065 students applied to join the Class of 2030. Of those, 8 percent have been offered admission.
Students admitted to the Class of 2030 represent all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and nearly 70 countries, from Uzbekistan to Slovakia to Lesotho, a country in southern Africa. Their academic qualifications place them at the top of their respective high school classes, with median SAT scores of 1510 and median ACT scores of 34.
“We continue to be impressed by the outstanding students who apply to Colby,” said Molly B. Hodgkins ’15, deputy dean of enrollment management. “They are exceptional students and engaged human beings who are passionate about finding their place in the world. As we are with every class, we are eager to welcome the Class of 2030 to campus so we can witness up close the impact they will have on their friends, their communities, and the world at large.”
Randi Maloney ’09, vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid, attributed the growth in applications to the appeal of the College’s centers, labs, and institutes, including the pioneering Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence; its generous financial aid program; and interest generated by Colby’s efforts to establish a new and expanded model for scientific research and exploration within a liberal arts education. This expansion is centered on new academic programs, continued faculty growth, and a science complex scheduled to open in 2030.
“Colby’s distinctive assets and resources continue to impact our recruitment efforts in deep and meaningful ways,” Maloney said. “More talented students from all backgrounds are seeing Colby within reach thanks to our exceptional financial aid policies. And in the wake of the transformational announcement about our science initiative, we saw significant increases in the number of students applying to Colby with an interest in engineering or public health.”
The College continues to receive strong interest from students oriented toward the arts, Maloney added, noting that the admissions team worked closely with the Lyons Arts Lab, which supports student creativity, to launch a new recruitment program, the Lyons Arts Fellows. More creative-minded students are applying to Colby to take advantage of opportunities through the Lyons Arts Lab and the Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts, which opened in 2023 with advanced technology, immersive creative spaces, and flexible performance spaces. “Having the Gordon Center to leverage has really helped us make an impression with prospective students,” Maloney said.
The Gordon Center is part of Colby’s growing arts ecosystem, which includes the Colby College Museum of Art and its collection of more than 10,000 artworks; the Greene Block + Studios, home of the Lunder Institute for American Art in downtown Waterville; and the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, also downtown, which includes movie screens, art studios, and the Joan Dignam Schmalz Gallery of Art.
Admitted Students Day
On April 20, Colby and President David A. Greene will welcome admitted students to campus for the Admitted Students Program, when more than 1,000 students and guests are expected to visit the College. Throughout the high-energy day, admitted members of the Class of 2030 will explore Colby’s academic and social fabric, with opportunities to meet faculty and learn about the College’s 46 majors and 37 minors, including new programs in public health, marine science, and data science. They will be able to attend spotlight classes and sessions highlighting College strategies and engage with current students.
Campus tours will include residential communities, the Colby Museum, the Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts, and the state-of-the-art Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, home to Colby’s 32 varsity sports teams and a robust recreation program.
Students and their guests will learn about the support available through DavisConnects, which, since 2017, has provided more than $11 million in funding for global experiences, internships, and research. In addition to funding, DavisConnects provides coaching and mentoring, and it connects current students with Colby’s global network of alumni, parents, and renowned organizations, setting them up for success at Colby and beyond.
Prospective students and their guests also have the opportunity to meet with Colby’s financial aid team to discuss the Colby Commitment, which includes the College’s promise to meet 100 percent of demonstrated need without loans. Colby guarantees parents or guardians will pay nothing if they have an income of $75,000 or less with typical assets. Admitted students whose parents and guardians earn up to $100,000, $150,000, or $200,000 in total household income and typical assets qualify for the Fair Shot Fund, capping the annual parent and guardian contribution at $10,000, $15,000, and $20,000, respectively, and often making a Colby education more affordable than attending a student’s in-state public institution.
‘Colby has tremendous academic assets. A world-class faculty committed to engaging students in cutting-edge research and scholarship, and the resources to help all students find a path to a life of meaning and impact.’
Randi Maloney ’09, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
Colby’s many opportunities
For members of the incoming class, acceptance to Colby represents a milestone in their education and an opportunity to build their future with intention and purpose.
Mariana Diaz Lizarraga, an admitted student from Mexico, said she chose Colby to help fulfill a calling to help others.
“Growing up in Mexico, I was immersed in a culture that values community, where people come together like family to support others. For me, serving others is a choice to nurture people through one’s own actions, and I knew I wanted to find those same values in a college. That’s when I began researching and discovered Colby, whose collaborative environment and strong sense of community immediately stood out to me,” she said.
Candace Sochor, an incoming first-year student from Pennsylvania, became interested in Colby after learning it offered a major in computational biology. A visit to campus last summer excited her and prompted her to apply for early admission. Receiving her letter of admission felt momentous, she said. “When I got the notification that the decisions were released, I was so excited and also scared. I remember calling my parents and opening the letter with them on the phone,” Sochor said, adding that she was eager to participate in COOT, the Outing Club, and other related activities.
Stella Nehro, an early-decision student from Connecticut, said gaining admission to Colby “felt like an admission to the next chapter of my life, one where I will grow both as a student and an individual. … Outside of the amazing academics, I was drawn to the ways students are able to serve and lead, particularly through programs like Colby Cares about Kids and Colby EMS.”
When they begin their college careers in August, students will benefit from a range of new and existing opportunities. In addition to the Lyons Arts Lab, incoming students will be able to participate in programs offered by other labs, including the newly established Bram Public Policy Lab, a nonpartisan lab for interdisciplinary research, immersive learning, and collaboration with policymakers and communities at the local, state, and national levels.
The Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship provides entrepreneurship education and training programs, funding for students to start commercial and social enterprises, mentorships, and more. Students interested in the sciences will find support at the Linde Packman Lab for Bioscience Innovation, which connects students to opportunities, programs, mentors, and funding. The Buck Lab for Climate and Environment provides grants to support internships, research, community engagement projects, and professional networking for students interested in investigating and helping solve pressing environmental challenges in Maine and beyond.
The Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence is the first cross-disciplinary institute for AI and machine learning at a liberal arts school. Truly interdisciplinary, Davis AI promotes human-centered approaches to AI with programs and research deeply embedded in Colby’s academic program.
Stella Nehro ’30
‘Outside of the amazing academics, I was drawn to the ways students are able to serve and lead, particularly through programs like Colby Cares about Kids and Colby EMS.’
A select group of students will begin their studies abroad in the fall, as part of Colby’s Global Entry Semesters program. Each year, first-year students participating in Global Entry Semesters start their Colby experience on campus with orientation, then hop on a plane to either Salamanca, Spain, or Dijon, France.
Colby also offers a range of academic programs and other activities at its remote Island Campus in Muscongus Bay, consisting of two islands once owned by the Wyeth art family. Colby students, faculty, and guests use the islands for interdisciplinary research, creative reflection, and inspiration.
“Colby has tremendous academic assets,” Maloney said. “A world-class faculty committed to engaging students in cutting-edge research and scholarship, and the resources to help all students find a path to a life of meaning and impact.”
