Westmont Magazine Class of 2010 Ranks High

Grades and Test Scores Among the Best Ever

The 333 members of the class of 2010 represent one of the strongest and most selective classes in Westmont’s history. Their overall academic GPA of 3.8, up from 3.74 last year, and their average SAT score of 1200 helped 64 percent earn academic merit scholarships ranging from $7,000 to full tuition. There are also 41 transfer students.

Elri ten Brink is one of three first-year students who received full-tuition Monroe Scholarships. Born in South Africa, she was a top student at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego. She plans to major in biology, attend medical school and become a pediatrician. “My mom is a pharmacist, so I guess it runs in the family a little bit,” she says.

Many of the first-year students were accepted to other prestigious colleges, including Wheaton and the Claremont colleges as well as Yale, Stanford, Pepperdine and Georgetown Universities.

Monroe Scholar Daniel Wendler attended Carlsbad High School and was accepted to Wheaton College as well as Baylor, Arizona State and St. John’s Universities. But he says he knew long ago that he wanted to come to Westmont. Choosing a major has been more of a challenge. He says he’s considering business, psychology or Spanish. “I’m interested in community development, maybe in a Third World country,” Wendler says. “Rather than give them food, I want to help them become self-sufficient, start businesses, give them training, help them get a loan and help the community pull itself out of poverty.”

Selectivity continues to grow, with just 65 percent of first-year applicants being admitted to Westmont. The class of 2010 includes 85 students of color, which is 25 percent. The new students come from all over the world, including 39 states and five foreign countries. Thirteen crossed the ocean from Hawaii. About 14 percent call the local Tri-County region home.