University of Massachusetts freshman Austin Suszek of Derry, N.H., had a difficult time deciding on something most high school seniors have trouble with: which university to attend after graduation.

“It really came down to two schools, WPI and UMass Amherst,” said Suszek. “Both were great choices and it was really tough deciding on whether to attend a public or private institution. In the end, UMass had more opportunities and groups that appealed to me, not to mention it was much more affordable than WPI and even UNH, where I can get in-state tuition.”

Many high school seniors across the country go through a similar process each spring, trying to determine which university is best for them. Many factors come into play, including the prestige, cost, location and the dynamics of the student body.

Whatever the reason for ultimately deciding to attend UMass, the students of the class of 2016 are diverse with mixed backgrounds and experiences.

Each year, UMass claims that each incoming freshman class is smarter and more competitive than the last one. This year was no exception.  According to the admissions data, the incoming freshman class of 2016 had a higher GPA average, SAT and ACT scores, along witha gamut of different qualities from last year, making it more difficult to be accepted into the university.

The office of Undergraduate Admissions claims that there are 4,650 freshman this year as well as 1,128 new transfer students..

The average GPA for the UMass class of 2016 in high school was a weighted 3.63 on a 4.0 scale. The average unweighted GPA was about 3.37.

In the standardized testing category, the average SAT score was 1190 without the writing score. The average math score was 601, while the average student scored 578 in critical writing. Finally, the mean writing score on the SAT was 588, making the combined average about  1767 total score on the SAT. The average ACT test score was 27.

Associate director of the news and media relations office Daniel Fitzgibbons claims that the average incoming UMass student has changed in the last twenty years. His findings show that admission into the university has become much more competitive.

“In 1992, we had an 87.5 acceptance rate, compared to our 67 percent acceptance percent rate now,” Fitzgibbons said.

Fitzgibbons also compared the average SAT scores from 1992 to 2012, and the average score then was a 997. Besides the SAT scores, the pool of applicants today compared to 1992 is much more competitive in academic standings while the students were in high school.

“Students back then were in the top third of their high school graduating class, and now most are in the top 20 percent. Our university is also much more diverse. Only 15 percent of the student body then was African American, Latino, Asian Pacific Islander, or Native American.”

The evidence provided by Fitzgibbons proves that UMass is becoming more prestigious.The reasons for students attending the university varies from student to student, but many new students are excited to start a new chapter in their life.

“In all honesty, the campus is so prestigious and amazing,” said freshman Greg Barysky of Methuen.. “Everything about UMass Amherst is great, from the students to the amazing opportunities it has to offer. I’m just so excited, and I know I’ll have a blast this year.”

Although the class of 2016 was competitive academically in their applications, they are also well-rounded, as they participated in different extracurricular activities throughout high school.  Many plan to continue these activities as the school year begins.

“I am beyond excited to be a part of the Minuteman Marching Band here at UMass,” said freshman Emily Lowe of Andover. “In high school, I was a flute player in the marching band, and when I saw the Minuteman Band perform during their annual band day, I thought I would look into attending the university.”

From the marching band to the quality of education students hope to receive when they attend college, students choose to come to UMass for a variety of reasons, many coming from outside of the commonwealth.

“I liked UMass from the photos I saw online, it’s demographics and its location,” said freshman Sierra Rittue from San Jose, Calif. “I knew I wanted a big school, and UMass definitely fits there. When it came time to decide, I went on a gut feeling and the fact that I didn’t feel UC Santa Barbara was the right choice.”

According to Undergraduate Admissions, a total of 3,800 students will be from outside of Massachusetts this year. A large majority of out-of-state students are from the New England area, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, and Illinois.

Many students took into account the location of the University, the quality of the academic programs, as well as the social opportunities UMass had to offer.

“In addition to the strong academics, the party scene somewhat interested me,” said Rittue. “I personally can’t study all the time, so the thought of attending parties drew me even more to UMass.”

Lowe said that besides the attraction of being a member of the marching band, she wanted to experience how strong an education she would receive if she attended the University.

“I looked into it and found that UMass has a wonderful animal science and pre-vet program,” Lowe asid. “I also think that area of Mass. is beautiful…I had a cousin at Smith at the time who loved the area and the Five College Consortium, which I also think is awesome and a wonderful opportunity that UMass offers.”

Daneil Rodriguez can be reached at [email protected].