University of Chicago Admits a Record Number of Black Students

The University of Chicago has a rich history in providing educational opportunities for African Americans at the graduate level. But until very recently black undergraduate enrollments at the University of Chicago have lagged those of the university’s peer institutions by a considerable margin.

But in 2006 a new emphasis on recruiting black students produced results. In the 2006-07 academic year there were 81 black freshmen at the University of Chicago. This was an increase of more than 52 percent from the previous year. Blacks were 6.4 percent of the first-year class that entered the university this past September, up from 4.9 percent a year earlier.

It appears now that this progress is continuing. This spring a record 265 African Americans were admitted to the University of Chicago, up nearly 14 percent from 2006. Blacks were 7.3 percent of all students admitted to the university this spring.

Copyright © 2007. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.