Their birth certificates may still carry 20th-century dates. But our incoming first-year students have already made their mark on the new millennium.

Meet the Class of 2021

Many of the incoming first-year students in the Class of 2021 were born in 1999, making them among the last people to have been born in the 20th century. They may have started their lives at the tail end of 1900s, but they’re ready to make an impact on the 21st century.

They’re ready to lead and leave their marks

1 built and runs a laser tag business
1 developed an Android app
57 joined student government at their high school
1 directed a school play
1 leads an a cappella group
47 were team captains
1 is a state FFA livestock judge
177 were part of the National Honor Society
20 participated in either Badger Boys or Badger Girls State

They’re ready to share their talents

1 participated in seven school plays
1 spends summers performing shows with a water-ski team
2 are black belts; 1 is a brown belt
140 were involved in instrumental music
1 wrote and conducted an arrangement of popular movie themes

They’re ready to be team players

3 played junior hockey; 1 played AAA hockey during high school
1 attended a hockey academy for two years
1 is a member of a state champion chess team
1 is a member of a national archery team
382 participated in sports; 12 played four sports and 1 played five
181 were team captains
43 received 1st-team All-Conference
12 were state champions

They’re ready to serve

3 are members of the military
4 have been honored with community service awards
257 did volunteer work during high school
10 volunteered as coaches for youth sports teams
38 went on mission trips
5 are Eagle Scouts
14 have taken part in a Kairos retreat. (Kairos is a Catholic retreat program.)
56 have participated in youth ministry

They’re ready to expand their knowledge

Their average GPA was 3.5
14 graduated as valedictorian of their high school class; 5 were salutatorians
48 got a 30 or higher on the ACT
65 earned a GPA of 4.0 or higher
344 took at least one Advanced Placement class; 2 took 11 AP classes
3 took 10 or more International Baccalaureate classes

Sept. 5, 2017

A Mindset All Their Own

For the members of the Class of 2021:

• They’ve always known a phone as a video game, map, electronic telegraph and research library all rolled into one.
• They may consider themselves consumers while at college because they’ve borrowed a lot of money to attend.
• Many have never used a floppy disk or heard the high-pitched whine of a dial-up modem.
• Donald Trump has always been involved in politics – as a Democrat, an Independent and a Republican.
• They’ve known “Blackberry” to mean a fruit, a communication device – and, a fruit once more.
• They’ve always known Germany’s seat of government to be in Berlin.
• Laptops were outselling desktops by the time they started school.
• They’ve always known Justin Timberlake as a solo act.
• Bill Clinton has always been known as Hillary Clinton’s husband.
• The Mars Polar Lander has always been lost.

Thanks to our Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges & Universities partner Beloit College and its annually published Mindset List for these insights into the world of those entering college this year.