RICHMOND, Va. (August 3, 2020) – This fall, 707 students will make up the incoming first-year Class of 2024 at VCU School of the Arts (VCUarts). As a group, the class represents a cross-section of talent, creativity, socio-economic backgrounds, cities, countries, interests and cultures that VCUarts values.
“In the face of hardship, artists continually prove themselves to be innovators and tenacious drivers of change,” says Erin Garmezy, director for undergraduate admissions. “I see that more in this year’s incoming class than ever before. We can’t wait to see how they use their unique experiences and talent to push boundaries, collaborate, and creatively problem solve in their first year at VCUarts.”
Students from outside of Virginia represent 26 U.S. states and territories, with the largest numbers from Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and the District of Columbia. International students come from Australia, Brazil, China, El Salvador, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey and Ukraine. Among American students, 35 percent of the incoming class are from underrepresented minority groups, and 24 percent are first-generation students.
The average SAT score (math and reading combined) for the class is 1150. The incoming class averaged 25 on the superscored ACT, 17 percent above the national average. The average high school GPA of the class is 3.63. Based on their academic merit, 46 percent of the Class of 2024 will receive four-year scholarships. This is a nearly 11 percent of incoming students awarded over the previous year. Thirty students in the Class of 2024 have been granted the VCUarts Talent Scholarship.
Arts admissions committees consider multiple factors when reviewing applications, including the strength of the student’s academic history, the student’s personal statement, essays, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, artistic talent and other unique contributions they bring to form a diverse cohort. This year’s class includes students who are trilingual, Scholastic National Gold Key Award winners, gymnasts, color guard captains, and winners of dance, filmmaking, short story writing, and theatre performance competitions. Some students attended governor’s school, lived and traveled abroad, and volunteered with nonprofit organizations. Others founded a Korean dance club, helped spread compassionate understanding of mental health, and participated in the Wilderness Intensive Leadership Development program. Their classmates were part of the Emerging Artist Program at the Hirshhorn Museum in D.C., won the National Gold Medal for Photography, and served as a Virginia House of Delegates page.
Classes for the new academic year begin August 17.
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About VCU School of the Arts
VCUarts is one of the nation’s leading schools of arts and design, offering degree programs in fine arts, design, performing arts, and narrative media. VCUarts encourages intellectual inquiry in and through the creative fields, fostering rich, interdisciplinary collaborations between artists, designers, health practitioners, and other areas of study at the university. Distinguished faculty members are internationally recognized in their respective fields and are committed to mentoring the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, scholars, and engaged citizens of diverse communities around the world. VCUarts’ campus in Qatar provides students and faculty with a direct tie to the Middle East and underscores the school and university’s commitment to global education and experience.