August 30, 2024

Twenty-seven percent of new students are domestic students of color. They hail from thirty-three states (and Washington DC) and twelve different countries. Of the incoming class, 6% of students have international citizenship, 14% of first-year students are the first students in their family to attend college, and 32% are Pell-grant eligible. This class continues Bennington’s commitment to making higher education accessible and affordable to students from a diverse array of backgrounds. 

“This impressive group of talented students has achieved so much throughout their education so far, and I am eager to see how they use their time at Bennington to go even further toward the lives, community, and world they want,” said President Laura Walker. “Each of them will benefit from Bennington’s rigorous creative inquiry, mentorship from talented faculty, and academic and social support to become the thinkers they hope to be.”

Among the class of 2028, fifty-nine students are transfer students, which includes thirty-six from the recently closed University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Others come from Anglo-American University; Bentley University; Boston Conservatory; Columbia College; East Los Angeles College; Emory University; Loyola Marymount University; Mansfield University; Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; Savannah College of Art and Design; State College of Florida, Bradenton; State University of New York (SUNY), Purchase; SUNY Buffalo; The New School: Parsons School of Design; and University of Edinburgh. Five students have come from community colleges, including Bunker Hill Community College, Chemeketa Community College, Cuyahoga Community College, Houston Community College, and Hudson Community College. 
The class of 2028 also includes two United World College (UWC) Davis Scholars: one hails from Brazil and studied at LiPoChun UWC of Hong Kong and one from Bosnia who studied at UWC Robert Bosch College in Germany.

“It was a pleasure to get to know this exceptionally talented group of students during the college search process,” said Interim Vice President for Enrollment Tonya Strong. “They are artists, musicians, writers, linguists, activists, social scientists, and scientists. I am eager to welcome them to Bennington and to see how their talents and skills develop throughout their time here." 

Interest in Bennington continues to grow among college-bound students. As compared to five years ago, the total number of applications to Bennington has grown exponentially. This year saw a record number of applications. For the 2024-25 academic year, 2,997 students applied to Bennington, and 44.6% were admitted.

The student experience continues to be individualized and rigorous. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1. Bennington’s flexible, responsive curriculum also directly engages students’ academic interests through adding new courses each term and allowing students and faculty to propose intensive “pop-up” mini-courses that investigate unfolding current events and issues.

The academic year will kick off on September 3 with Convocation and the start of Fall courses.