What is class of 2023?
The University of Oregon is growing in more ways than one — this year's incoming class made records for its size, diversity and level of academic achievement.
The published numbers are based on preliminary data, available at Around the O, with official demographic information on the class to be finalized Nov. 15.
The available data indicates that there was an 8.5% increase in the incoming class size, with 4,558 students present, up by more than 300 students from last year.
The incoming class is also more racially and ethnically diverse, with a reported increase in the number of first-year students identifying as domestic minorities at 1,573, compared to 2018's 1,518.
Additionally significant is an increase in various averages for academic achievements. The announcement reads that the class's average GPA was 3.65, up from the previous record of 3.61, and an increase from 2018's 3.59. The average SAT score was 1200, a slight increase from 1191 last year. The 2023 class is bringing in 62,209 college credits from AP, International Baccalaureate or dual enrollment classes.
“We did a lot of things new, and we also had things we'd been doing for a while that are in a time frame where they might stick a little more,” said Roger Thompson, vice president for Student Services and Enrollment Management. He said that the new changes involved a bulking of recruitment efforts.
“We had added regional in California; we expanded our recruitment efforts there,” Thompson said. “We expanded our efforts in Portland. We have regional recruiters now in Denver, Texas, Chicago. All those folks give us an opportunity to see more prospective students than we've ever had before.”
In terms of raising the academic average for the class of 2023, Thompson said that more emphasis was put on bringing in students with high levels of academic achievement.
“We directed more of our programming at high-ability, top-scholar kinds of students,” he said. “For students that received a scholarship offer, we did extra programming for them. We reached out in ways that connected them with faculty, deans, associate deans.”
“I think that kind of connection helped those top scholars see that while we might be a large university, you can always make a big university small,” Thompson said.
A spokesperson with SSEM said that there was a 2.4% increase in the admissions budget from fiscal years 2018 and 2019 — a total increase of $156,607.
However, Thompson stated that he doesn't believe that increased spending on recruitment boosted incoming growth, instead pointing to aspects that “personalized” UO, like allowing students to select their residence hall rooms, and enrollment teamwork. “Having our team work in ways that we hadn't worked before and utilizing all our team members, not just in admissions,” he said, referring to what he believed increased growth. “At the end of the day, it's people that make a difference.”
For those students coming in, the accommodations situation is set. “University Housing had been planning for the growth through the construction of Kalapuya Ilihi Hall, and the major renovation of Justice Robert Sharp Bean Hall,” wrote Michael Griffel, director for University Housing. Griffel told the Emerald in an email statement that such work added “just over 500” residence hall spaces and required a “commensurate number of staff and Resident Assistants.”
In addition to new construction, Griffel wrote that 75 large double rooms in GSH, Barnhart, LLC and Kalapuya Ilihi halls were converted into triple rooms.
Thompson said that continued enrollment growth at UO isn't necessarily a clear cut issue. “It's really an interesting time in enrollment. High school graduates in Oregon are shrinking, so for us to keep the same number of students in a freshman class at UO from Oregon high schools, we have to increase our market share,” he said.
He also indicated that the university expects to bring in more out-of-state students, especially from California.
Class is an Indian Hindi-language crime drama thriller streaming television series adapted by Ashim Ahluwalia and based on the Spanish series Elite. It is set in Hampton International, a fictional elite high school in Delhi, and revolves around the relationships between three working-class students enrolled at the school and their wealthy classmates. The series was produced by Bodhi Tree Multimedia and Future East Film.[1][2][3][4]
The series explores a wide range of social issues affecting modern youth, including casteism, child neglect, corruption, homophobia, religious discrimination, and income inequality in India. Class consisting of 8 episodes was released on 3 February 2023 on Netflix.[5] On 6 March 2023, Netflix confirmed the series has been renewed for a second season.[6]
After their local school is destroyed in a fire, three working-class friends – Dheeraj, Saba, and Balli – are offered scholarships to Hampton International, an elite private school in New Delhi. The scholarships are sponsored by the Ahuja Properties, who were at fault for the fire. At Hampton International, the three are initially ostracised by wealthy students. But as the school year progresses, their lives intertwine in a clash of lifestyles, resentments, envy, and sexual attraction.
Class debuted at Number 1 on Netflix India’s ‘Top 10 TV Shows in India Today’ list. It also debuted at Number 1 in Bangladesh while also debuting Top 10 in the ‘Top 10 TV Shows’ lists of Bahrain, Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, UAE & Sri Lanka.[8][9]
Rohan Naahar for Indian Express rated 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "It is unclear if we’re meant to accept this version of the Capital as the truth. For instance, Faruq, who lives like a vagabond, goes on a date to Cafe Dori in one scene. Ridiculous as it often is, Class plays its drama dead straight. And this might be an issue. A little self-awareness goes a long way.[10]
Tamma Moksha for The Hindu wrote "Featuring a host of debutants, the show is set in Hampton International, a private school in Delhi that boasts of giant swimming pools, coveted MUN conferences, and prestigious scholarships to study abroad — an archetype of the perfect dream school… until a student is found murdered outside the school premises and her acquaintances become prime suspects."[11]
Tushar Joshi for India Today rated 3.5 stars out of 5 stars and wrote "If you have watched Elite then you will end up drawing multiple parallels with Class. But if you let these comparisons stay far away from your experience, you are in for a reward. Class is some top-notch writing and also some brilliant casting. These boys and girls who represent two opposite diasporas of high school life look their part."[12]
Archika Khurana of The Times of India wrote "Inspired by the Spanish version, the series producer and director, Ashim Ahluwalia, incorporates a posh school into the picture, where most of the scenes were shot. The production values are high and clearly on par with the Spanish school to depict the lifestyle of these hi-fi students."[13]
Udita Jhunjhunwala for Scroll.in wrote "Series director Ashim Ahluwalia creates an immersive world of haves and have-nots, of entrenched prejudices embedded in Indian culture – whether about community, class, caste or sexuality. The color palette – glossy and cool for the wealthy homes, saturated and grittier for the less well-to-do spaces, along with the music, production design, and cinematography work with the easy-breezy dialogue opposite to Gen-Z."[14]
Sanchita Jhunjhunwala of Zoom TV wrote "To be able to understand the dynamics and what goes through by just reading is something that won't be possible as there are quite a few complex plots and subplots all going at the same time, but they are all meaningful. With so many characters, it was rather easy to have lost the plot or either rush it up, but that does not happen with this show, for everything flows naturally, even the Indianisation of the entire storyline."[15]
Rahul Shinde for The Envoy Web wrote "The friendships depicted in the show don’t seem real at all. For instance, it’s suggested that Suhani and Koel are childhood friends, but the show doesn’t care to bring them together in one frame until the plot requires it."[16]
Upasana Dandona for Women's Web wrote "If you have eight hours to spare on a series about South Delhi elitism, then Netflix series Class is definitely for you. Though, be warned that the makers know very little about South Delhi elites and the culture within South Delhi schools. A personal suggestion would be to fast forward all scenes and only watch the ones featuring Faruq and Dhruv—the two make an adorable queer couple.""[17]
The Class of 2023 refers to the freshman students entering high school in Fall 2019 and due to graduate in 2023. Online, the class of 2023 has been mocked for their association with TikTok trends like VSCO girls, HydroFlasks and the phrases and I Oop and sksksksk. Although, high school freshman have been known to be ridiculed for decades just for being new to the school, according to Redditors and TikTokkers, the class of 2023 has been dubbed the most difficult batch of freshman.
In July 2019, TikTok users began posted videos in which they mock the freshman class of 2023. Although the earliest iteration of these videos is unknown, one of the earliest was posted on July 24th by TikTok user @whatsagxndxr (shown below). The video received over 100 likes in three months.
On August 1st, 2019, Redditor Ziptiebois69 posted a copypasta letter from the class of 2023 to the class of 2020,2021 and 2022 to r/copypasta[1] (shown below). The post received over 100 points (96% upvoted) in two months.
On August 12th, TikTok user @colie.1 uploaded a popular variation of a Class of 2023 parody video (shown below). The video gained over 37,800 likes and 1,800 shares in two months. The video characterizes the freshman student as a VSCO girl.
On August 15th, Redditor seize-the-goat posted an image of crying cat to r/teenagers[2] with a caption about not looking forward to the incoming freshman ruining their fun (shown below).
On August 23rd, YouTuber mooo. posted a compilation of TikTok videos about the Class of 2023 (shown below). The video gained over 6,400 views in two months.
On August 26th, Twitter user @junekimpark[3] shared an official welcome letter given out freshman at their high school from the senior class officers (shown below). The letter includes as section about Hydro Flasks and uses the phrase and I Oop (shown below).
