Incoming students represent a wide variety of backgrounds, experience

This fall’s incoming class at Mitchell Hamline comes from a wide variety of backgrounds, brings a broad range of experience to the classroom, and is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse first-year classes in the school’s history.

“Our students are a very impressive group,” said Mitchell Hamline President and Dean Mark Gordon. “Ranging from students who just graduated from college to others who have been business people, sports executives, health care administrators, educators, and much more.”

Applications were up 10 percent over last year, and, at 387 students, this fall’s incoming class is larger than last year’s. That allowed the school to be more selective in picking the class, in turn raising LSAT indicators over last year’s incoming class.

Nearly 28 percent of the incoming students are students of color. Mitchell Hamline saw a significant increase in the number of African American, Hispanic, and American Indian students enrolled over previous years. Fifty percent of the incoming students are women.

More than half of the incoming class comes from outside of Minnesota. This fall’s new students hail from 42 states, the District of Columbia, and 10 countries. Mitchell Hamline’s entire student body, now at 1,115, represents every state in the nation except one—Connecticut.

More military veterans enrolled at Mitchell Hamline this fall than in previous years. That’s due in part to a new program that enables more student vets to take advantage of federal aid through the Yellow Ribbon program. This year’s entering class includes 27 veterans. Last year, Mitchell Hamline’s total number of enrolled veterans was 10.

2017 entering class by enrollment option