John Carroll University is celebrating a wave of momentum following a record-breaking Admitted Student Celebration weekend, a surge in students confirming their enrollment, and unprecedented philanthropic investments supporting the student experience.
This year’s Admitted Student Celebration drew 420 admitted students and over 1,200 guests, marking a substantial increase over last year’s attendance of 256 students. Highlights included a Scholar’s Dinner on Friday night honoring top scholarship recipients to Saturday’s Celebration for all admitted students, which featured a dynamic welcome ceremony, academic breakout sessions, specialized tours of campus and surrounding neighborhoods, and dedicated parent and student sessions.
This momentum follows JCU welcoming its largest incoming class in five years in 2024. Early confirmations for Fall 2025 are already outpacing any of the last five years by more than 60%, reflecting heightened interest in the University’s distinctive Jesuit educational experience.
The University received nearly 5,000 applications from across the country and became more selective this year, admitting about 3,600 students from 40 states. Accepted students have until May 1 to confirm their enrollment.
“We are so proud of our accepted class of 2029,” said Carolyn Noll Sorg, Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing. “This is an exceptional group of student leaders—with a 3.83 average GPA among them—and we’ve looked for ways to help them build their connection to JCU and each other as they plan for their future and make final college choices. The incredible energy and enthusiasm we felt throughout the weekend highlights the growing recognition of John Carroll as a destination university.”
Families praised the welcoming community and comprehensive support at JCU’s Celebration weekend.
“Right from the start, we felt incredibly welcomed. The current students greeted us with such enthusiasm,” said Anthony Contakis, a parent from Columbus, Ohio. “During our visits to other colleges, we often found ourselves isolated and with many unanswered questions, but that was not the case at John Carroll. We could have spent more time there, given the wealth of information provided.”
Cynthia Rodriguez, a JCU parent from Cleveland, echoed this sentiment: “What led Noah and I to choose John Carroll University over many other colleges is the warmth of the school and how our family was instantly greeted with so much love and a big smile on every face. We were treated like we were already members of the community.”
Traci Illig, a parent from Buffalo whose twins enrolled in JCU’s Class of 2029 said that many factors played a role in their family choosing JCU, including the generous financial aid packages they received from the University. “Our sons committed to JCU just before Celebration weekend, and after being on campus again, and participating in the Scholars Dinner and other events, it reinforced our feelings that we made the right choice. We have no doubt that JCU is the perfect place for our sons to thrive academically, socially, spiritually, and athletically.”
As John Carroll expands its reach across the nation, more students from high schools outside of Ohio are making JCU a top choice. Amy Runfola, a college counselor at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Buffalo, New York shared that many of her students continue to choose John Carroll over options in their backyard.
“We are an all boys school with a strong sense of community, we take a holistic approach to education, and our students develop close relationships with faculty. It’s something they found that they can continue at JCU,” said Runfola. “They hear from their friends who are at JCU doing great things, and they can see themselves there.”
Philanthropic support at JCU has also reached new heights, with donors contributing $24.7 million this year—up dramatically from $14.9 million last year. These investments directly benefit academic programs, scholarships, and the student experience, underscoring donors’ belief in the University’s mission and future.
Bolstered by a robust endowment of over $300 million, John Carroll University continues to invest in creating inspired futures for students who are driven to lead and serve.
