-
About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
-
A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
-
A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
-
Admission & Aid
Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
-
Students & Parents
Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
-
Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
Thomas Aquinas College Bucks National Trends on Enrollment, Student Ratios
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
For more information, please contact:
Chris Weinkopf, Executive Director of College Relations
805-421-5926 | pr@thomasaquinas.edu
Thomas Aquinas College Bucks National Trends on Enrollment, Student Ratios
Enrollment Up 50% Over 10 Years, Evenly Split Between Men & Women
Thomas Aquinas College continues to defy declining college enrollment trends, with a record number of freshmen and total students enrolled for this academic year.
Overall, college enrollment in the United States has dropped by 7.4 percent — or some 1.5 million students — in the last decade. Four-year, private institutions have reported a staggering 54 percent loss in enrollment, and some 14 were forced to close their doors in 2023. Thomas Aquinas College, on the other hand, has seen its enrollment numbers rise, especially since opening its New England campus in 2019.
At its 2024 Convocation ceremonies in August, the College welcomed its largest freshman class to date, achieving a record combined enrollment of 565 students — a 50 percent increase from 10 years ago. While the college’s California campus hovers around its 400-student maximum capacity, the New England campus has seen a 13 percent increase in its student body since last year. At 193 students, it’s keeping pace with its growth plan and is nearly halfway to capacity.
“These numbers are very much in keeping with the overall trend: California has been at maximum capacity for years, and the number of students on our New England campus has nearly quadrupled since launching in 2019,” says Chris Weinkopf, executive director of college relations.
Also in defiance of national trends, the Thomas Aquinas College Class of 2028 is split evenly between men (49.4%) and women (50.6%), whereas men make up just 40.5 percent of undergraduate students nationwide. “It’s testament to our founders’ vision that the rigorous liberal arts curriculum they designed, which includes four years of mathematics and natural sciences, continues to attract wide numbers of students, male and female alike,” adds Mr. Weinkopf. “It speaks to the timelessness of our Great Books program.”
The 168 students who make up TAC’s freshman class hail from 29 U.S. states and 9 countries, reflecting the widespread appeal of the college’s program of Catholic liberal education. “There’s a great demand for the authentically Catholic, academically excellent education that the College offers,” says Mr. Weinkopf. “We are pleased to be able to extend this opportunity to a greater number of students and their families every year.”
MORE NEWS FROM THE COLLEGE
- Alumnus Peter Bockrath (CA’24) Commissions into “Team Saint Paul”
- New England Campus to Host Fall Open House for High School Juniors & Seniors
- Alumna Author Gives TAC Women an Encounter with St. Thérèse
- TAC Governor Tom Krause Authors New Book on Corporate Culture
- Free TAC Webinar: Estate & Financial Planning for Life & Legacy
# # #
About Thomas Aquinas College
With campuses in California and Massachusetts, Thomas Aquinas College has developed over the last half century a solid reputation for academic excellence in the United States and abroad. It is highly ranked by secular organizations, such as The Princeton Review and U. S. News, as well as Catholic guides, including the Cardinal Newman Society and the National Catholic Register. The college offers one, four-year, classical curriculum that spans the major arts and sciences. Instead of reading textbooks, students study the original works of the greatest thinkers in Western civilization — the Great Books — in all the major disciplines. Rather than listen to lectures, they work through these texts in small, rigorous classroom discussions. The academic life of the college is conducted under the light of the Catholic faith and flourishes within a close-knit community, supported by a vibrant spiritual life. Alumni consistently excel in the many world-class institutions at which they pursue graduate degrees in fields such as law, medicine, business, theology, and education.