AMHERST, Mass. – When students arrive at the University of Massachusetts Amherst next week, they will find a smaller class of first-year students than last year, but one with a stronger academic profile than preceding classes. There is also a higher proportion of in-state students in the new class. University officials say they expect the percentage of African-American, Latino, Asian, and Native-American (ALANA) students in the entering class to remain at 18 percent, the same as last year. The anticipated number of students in the Class of 2006 is 3,300, a planned decrease of 900 from last year’s entering class of 4,200. The number of applications was up 10 percent to 20,450, exceeding 20,000 for the first time since 1988. Because of the larger applicant pool and lower enrollment goal, the acceptance rate dropped from 73 percent last year to 58 percent this year. The average weighted grade-point average has risen from 3.35 last year to 3.42. On average, students in the incoming class ranked in the top quarter of their high school class and had combined SAT scores of 1123 compared to 1117 last year.”By all accounts, this has been another great year for UMass Amherst,” says Joseph C. Marshall, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of enrollment.”The increase in applications from a highly qualified and diverse population of high school seniors is a clear indication that the value of a high quality education at a relatively low cost remains high. That increase in demand for the academic experience the University offers has also allowed us to achieve nearly every goal we established for ourselves at the outset of the academic year. As we enter the new recruitment cycle, I am highly optimistic that this trend will continue.”Overall, the number of undergraduates is expected to be between 17,800 and 18,000. The number of graduate students is 5,200. At Commonwealth College, the University’s honors college, the incoming class is estimated at 370. The weighted grade-point average is 4.0, and students ranked in the top 5 percent of their high-school class. The average SAT score remains at 1316. This fall, there will be 2,603 students in Commonwealth College. Undergraduate tuition for in-state students is the same as last year at $1,714. In-state graduate tuition is $2,640, where it has been for the past five years. Tuition for out-of-state undergraduates and graduate students is $9,937, the same as last year. Mandatory fees for in-state undergraduates are $4,768. Total tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates are $6,482.Mandatory fees for out-of-state undergraduates are $5,398, and the combined tuition and fees total $15,335. In-state graduate-student fees are $4,113, and the combined tuition and fees total $6,753. Mandatory fees for out-of-state graduate students are $5,018 and the total tuition and fees is $14,955. The total cost of tuition, fees, room, and board for in-state undergraduates is $11,955, a 10.5-percent increase from last year. Combined tuition, fees, room, and board for out-of-state undergraduates is $20,808 an increase of 7.4 percent from last year. Average room charges are $3,080, and average board charges are $2,393.