As graduation day approaches, RHS is proud to celebrate a major milestone for members of the Class of 2025, their college commitments.
Nationally, this was a banner year for the number of college applications submitted. According to flyingcolorsprep.com, over 1.2 million users submitted just under 6.7 million applications. As for RHS, the 315 seniors in the class of 2025 submitted a grand total of 2,546 applications to 364 colleges, an average of seven applications per student, according to RHS College Counselor Jennifer Huey.
As shown on the Randolph25commits Instagram page, college selections for the Class of 2025 were as unique as the students themselves. Here’s a look at some of this year’s college commitment trends.
TOP COMMITMENT SCHOOLS
Rutgers
Rutgers University has always been a popular school for RHS seniors, and this year, it landed the highest number of commitments, with 17 seniors enrolling. “I chose Rutgers because I want to go to law school, so I’m trying to save money,” senior Briana Lange said. “I originally wasn’t planning on staying in state, but because of law school, Rutgers was the best option.”
Montclair
With 15 total commits, Montclair State University was the second most popular choice this year. Montclair’s proximity to home and strong academics made it an appealing choice for many. “I chose Montclair because it was the safest option,” senior Joshua Reyes said. “I don’t have to pay crazy tuition fees, and it allows me to stay close to family.”
Indiana
Indiana University was another top choice for RHS seniors this year, with nine committing to attend in the fall. This was a major surprise, as it’s not a common choice for Randolph grads; typically, only two to three enroll annually. “It is always a school where we see students apply, but nine is a huge number of students to send,” Huey said.
“I was focused primarily on setting my future up best,” said senior Ryan Schorr, who committed there. “It was less about the vibe and more about where I thought I could get the best education. For that reason, Indiana was a no-brainer.”
Penn State
The ever-popular Penn State University saw fewer commitments compared to prior years, with only six this year as opposed to 13 in 2023, according to the Randolph23commits and Randolph25commits Instagram pages. “They have a strong engineering program and a lot of newly renovated engineering buildings and resources,” senior Alex Power said. “It’s also close to home while still being far enough to make it a new experience.”
James Madison
James Madison University remained a top choice for RHS seniors this year, captivating them with its vibrant campus and school spirit. “I chose JMU because it has a good mix of social activities and academics,” senior Alex LoCascio said. “It also has warm weather without being a plane ride away.”
University of Delaware
With its ideal location–close to home but not too close–the University of Delaware remained another popular choice this year. “Overall, it was one of the best mixes between location, price, education quality and opportunities,” committed senior Zach Weiss explained. “The overall student life and school spirit was a very strong reason to go there; I felt like I would fit in nicely with the lively campus.”
One-Offs
Not all RHS seniors committed to these popular colleges. Some will be traveling to the West Coast, to schools including UCLA, and at least one will be crossing the border to attend school in Canada. Other seniors are not committing to college at all, but rather to the military, including the U.S Marine Corps.
Whatever path they choose, there’s no doubt the members of the RHS Class of 2025 will make their mark, whether it be close to home, across the country or across the border.
Editor’s note: Some college commitment statistics were taken from the student-run Randolph25commits, Randolph23Commits, and RHS22commits Instagram pages. These statistics may not reflect the total number of commitments for the class of 2025.
