Sep 01, 2011 - Claremont, Calif. -

For more than 50 years, Harvey Mudd College has built a reputation for attracting some of the world’s most promising students, and the incoming Class of 2015 is no exception.
The 195 first-years boast achievements that include winning national and international math competitions, leading engineering and robotics projects, and mastering physical challenges such as Level 8 gymnastics and cross-country cycling.

Vanessa Ronan ’15 served two years as captain of her high school robotics team and designed the robot it employed to seize a FIRST Robotics Competition regional victory in the team’s rookie year.

“We built a robot to play a game similar to soccer and our greatest design challenge was the kicker. I brainstormed day and night and we went through many ideas and prototypes before settling on using a flat plate attached to strong springs,” said Ronan, whose passions include engineering.

Intrigued with HMC since her freshman year in high school, Ronan solidified her decision to attend the College following a campus visit. “What convinced me Harvey Mudd was the right place for me was the type of students I found there,” she said. “Students at Harvey Mudd reminded me of kids at CTY (Center for Talented Youth)—eager to learn, but always ready to have fun.”

The College received a record 3,144 applications for admission, representing a 16 percent increase over the previous year’s applications. More than 600 applicants received acceptance letters and, of those, 195 committed to the Class of 2015.

“The increase in applications allowed us to craft the class from a remarkably talented group of students, taking into account how each will thrive in the college’s rigorous academics and contribute to the HMC community,” said Thyra Briggs, vice president of admission and financial aid. “The Class of 2015 brings the impressive achievements, intellectual curiosity and commitment to serving the larger community that characterizes those HMC students who came before them.”

The Class includes students from 30 states, Washington DC and nine countries (Belgium, Canada, China, India, Korea, Netherlands, Pakistan, Singapore and Thailand). Thirty-eight percent were either the valedictorian or salutatorian of their high school graduating class. Ninety-six percent ranked in the top 10 percent of their class.