The purple “frogs” shirts looked the same, and the sweet melody of the alma mater rang true at Chancellor’s Assembly. But there is something different about TCU’s newest crop of freshmen. For starters, the Class of 2017 is the university’s largest ever – 1,934 students from all 50 states. Seventy of them are from outside the United States. More than 18,500 applicants vied for a spot in the class.

The 2017ers also set a record for the most non-Texans. Fifty-five percent of the class hails from outside the Lone Star State. Just five years ago, the Class of 2008 was made up of almost 73 percent Texans. Last year, the figure dipped below 50 percent for only the second time in the university’s history and the first since 1979.

Texas still claims the most students, followed by California, Colorado and Illinois.

Also for the first time, 20 percent of the incoming class designate their race as non-white.

In August, moments before they received and shared the Light of Knowledge, student body president Cody Westphal reminded them that each individual’s background matters and sharing it is crucial.

“But now you’re part of the TCU family. You’re a Horned Frog for life!” he said.