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/ NEWS / MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
ODD NEWS
PITTSBURGH — Pennsylvania officials were hoping for a grand unveiling of a century-old time capsule over the weekend, but they say both the capsule and their plans were spoiled.
Century-old time capsule excavated
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says the copper container was removed from the cornerstone of the 100-year-old
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum last week. Inside, officials found 11 cents, two lead soldiers, a tattered silk flag and rotted news pulp, Confederate currency and photographs.
The lid of the cornerstone was apparently never soldered shut so moisture got in. Museum officials plan to entomb a new capsule next year to be opened by Pittsburghs of the early 22nd century.
Associated Press
Class scores high academic honors
CAMPUS
Students fill the seats of a Biology 100 class Friday afternoon in Budig Hall. Biology 100 is a class frequently taken by freshmen that teaches basic concepts of biology at the cellular, organismal, and population levels of organization and their applications to humans and modern society.
BY MEG LOWRY
mlowry@kansan.com
Chris Bronson/KANSAN
This year's freshmen are the most academically talented class in University of Kansas history, with the highest average GPA and ACT scores of any class.
The class of 2014 has an average ACT composite score of 24.9, in contrast to the national average of 22.1. The average high school GPA for the freshman is a 3.48.
GPA for the Institution.
"There was some strategy behind our recruitment process," said Lisa Pinamonti Kress, director of the Office of Admissions and Scholarships. "We have been developing a targeted, personalized communication approach with students who fall into a certain ACT range."
Pinamonti Kress said while there was no additional funding added to the scholarship budget, the Office of Admissions did increase recruiting, especially during the spring semester.
"If a student has visited campus or shown interest in the University but hasn't made an enrollment deposit, we will really make an initiative," said Pinamonti Kress. "We sent personalized notes and made personal phone calls to express our interest in the student."
Sam Ho, a freshman from Topeka, was first noticed by the University after he sent in his initial application.
Ho scored a perfect ACT score of 36 and a perfect SAT score of 2400.
2406:
"The experience for KU pretty much sealed the deal for me," Ho said. "Everywhere else I was accepted and visited, I just felt like I would be going to school. At KU, I felt like I would actually be getting a college experience."
Ho was offered the Perfect Achievement Scholarship, which includes full tuition and room and board. He is one of nine freshmen who have a perfect ACT score.
The enrollment of the freshman class has not increased in size from the year before, but more than one third of the class of 2014 scored higher than a 27 on the ACT. The "high-ability
recruiting'score range for KU is 27 to 36.
"When students take their ACT, they can rank KU on their list of schools they are interested in," Pinamonti Kross said. "We
these methods, Pinamonti Kress said.
Powell said he had already noticed the exceptional academics in his classes.
"... In my classes, literally everyone is smart. There is a pretty high standard."
look at these lists and target those students."
John Powell, a freshman from Topeka, said he was sent personalized notes from the University after submitting his ACT score of 34. Retention and graduation rates are the motivation behind
"A lot of the kids that come
JOHN POWELL Freshman
here are used to being the smartest in their high school class," Powell said. "Now in my classes, literally everyone is smart. There is a pretty high standard."
Ho said he believed that academically-talented students were drawn to the University because they knew they would be given the same opportunities here that they would anywhere else.
Edited by David Cawthon
FRESHMEN WHO
RECEIVED THE PER-
FECT ACHIEVEMENT
SCHOLARSHIP
MICHAEL SCOTT AGRE
Qi Chen,
Overland Park Michael Robert Erickson, Olathe
Gavin Keith Hanson,
Salina
Samuel Y. Ho, Jr., Topeka
Check out the KUJH-TV package at kansan.com/videos
Alex M. Johnson,
Wichita
Chris Ouyang,
Overland Park
Jerrica Lynn Washburn,
Wichita
Ryan Charlie Xiao,
Lenexa