App State enrolled 4,099 first-year students for the fall 2021 semester, marking the first time more than 4,000 students have begun their careers on the mountain, according to university communications. 

  The record-breaking enrollment number is accompanied by the highest number of underrepresented students in a first-year class. 

Of the 4,099 first-year students, 784 are part of an underrepresented population. App State divides underrepresented students into six categories which together make up 19.1% of the first-year students.  

Hispanic and Latino students are the largest underrepresented category identified by App State, comprising 42.7% of underrepresented students in 2020, according to App State institutional research, assessment and planning. Black students made up 22.1% of the underrepresented student population in 2020. 

Asian students comprised 8.7% of underrepresented students in 2020, while students who are two or more races made up 22.9% of the total. 

American Indian/Alaskan native students and nonresident students comprised 1% and 2.6% of underrepresented students respectively in 2020. 

Underrepresented students now make up 18.2% of the overall student population, a 6.3% increase from 2020. The specific 2021 enrollment numbers for underrepresented students are not accessible. 

Overall enrollment for fall 2021 grew by 3.1% from 2020, bringing the total number of enrolled undergraduate students to 20,641. App State broke the 20,000 mark for the first time in 2020. 

Growing App State’s population has been a goal of Chancellor Everts since she got the job in 2014 and it has steadily done so since. 

“These enrollment successes are particularly meaningful since they were accomplished amid the immense challenges presented by a global pandemic,” Everts said.