HWS News
15 May 2026 • Alums HWS Welcomes the Class of 2030
A record-setting application year and more than 20% increase in enrollment brings a vibrant class to campus.
This August, HWS will welcome 568 first-year students to campus, capping a year of record interest from prospective students and their families. The incoming class size marks a more than 20% increase in enrollment over last year.
The class was selected from the largest inquiry and applicant pools in HWS history. Inquiries rose to 18,989, a jump of nearly 30 percent over last year, while applications reached 6,699, up 15.7 percent.
The strong interest in HWS comes at a time when shifting national demographics are leading to fewer college-age students.
"Hobart and William Smith continues to distinguish itself through the strength of our academic program, the power of experiential learning and the outcomes students and families seek,” says President Mark D. Gearan. “The demand for admission to HWS is a clear affirmation of our momentum and the enduring value of an HWS education.”
Students will arrive from 35 states and represent countries from Bangladesh to Poland, and the United Kingdom to El Salvador. They bring a wide range of academic and cocurricular interests, including scientific research and entrepreneurship, the arts and community engagement.
The Class of 2030 will enter HWS with an average GPA of 3.64. A majority of the students, 62 percent, are graduating from public high schools. Beyond the classroom, 36 percent will compete as varsity athletes on HWS' 31 teams, joining a campus community where students can pursue both their athletic ambitions and academic priorities.
The arrival of the Class of 2030 will bring enrollment at Hobart and William Smith to more than 2,000 students, marking a significant milestone in HWS’ strategic effort to strengthen and sustainably grow enrollment.
"Reaching this benchmark of more than 2,000 students is not simply a measure of growth," says Chair of the Board of Trustees Joseph C. Stein III '86. "It is a testament to the strength of the HWS experience, the confidence students and families place in this institution, and the conviction of our alumni as demonstrated through philanthropy. I am tremendously bullish about the future of Hobart and William Smith and the trajectory we are building together.”
“We are grateful to our faculty, staff, coaches, current students, parents and alumni who took the time to connect with admitted students, answer questions and share their HWS experiences," says Vice President for External Relations Catherine Williams. "There is a genuine and collective sense of purpose that defines this community — a shared commitment to placing students and their aspirations at the center of all we do — and it is gratifying to see that ethos resonate so strongly with the Class of 2030."
Within the incoming class is the inaugural cohort of Melly Scholars. Established in 2026 as part of a $70 million gift from Trustee Chair Emeritus L. Thomas Melly '52, L.H.D. '02 and Judith Hershey Melly L.H.D. '16, the Melly Scholarship is the most prestigious of its kind in Hobart and William Smith’s history, recognizing students whose accomplishments reflect exceptional achievement in academics, leadership, innovation and service. This year, just 20 students were selected as the first Melly Scholars from a pool of more than 500 applicants — an acceptance rate of less than 4 percent.
“The selection process was extraordinarily competitive,” says Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Steven Simons. “The depth of talent, intellectual curiosity and demonstrated leadership among applicants was remarkable. To be named a Melly Scholar places these students among an exceptionally distinguished group, and we are excited for the leadership, intellect and energy they will bring to campus."
The Class of 2030 will arrive on campus on August 26 for Move-In and Matriculation. Read more about the first-year experience.
