Auburn University has set a school record – but it’s not on the playing field.

Freshmen applications for the university to attend next fall reached an all time high for the university with a record of 48,000 applicants, the university said. It is a 5% increase over last fall.

“It is exciting to see that many students continue to demonstrate a strong interest in joining the Auburn Family,” said Joffrey Gaymon, Auburn’s vice president for enrollment. “As we focus on efforts of greater access to underserved areas, we are working hard to build connections and further grow our applicant numbers.”

Gaymon described the students that he believes that Auburn attracts.

“Auburn recruits the best and the brightest,” he said. “With Auburn being the top choice for Alabama students and a land-grant institution, we understand and embrace our responsibility to serve the citizens of the state of Alabama.

“We are focused on selecting successful applicants who demonstrate the greatest potential for success and can live up to the Auburn Creed.”

The 48,000 applications that the university received for 2023 came from every county in Alabama and from every state in the country.

The university said its 2023 early action decisions extend from October to January, with regular decisions being announced in March.

Auburn’s acceptance rate for early action periods was 44% for a total of 20,000 acceptances. The students that fell into this category had an average ACT score of 28.2 and an average GPA of 4.2. Less than 9% were admitted under the university’s test-optional pathway.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.