NYU announced Thursday that it has received a record number of applications for the 2015-2016 academic year. More than 60,000 students applied, but only 31 percent were admitted, making the class of 2019 three percentage points more selective than the class of 2018.

The class of 2019 will comprises students from 50 different states and 139 countries, making it NYU’s most diverse class yet.

The freshman class at the New York City campus will include a total of 5,600 students, while NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai will welcome 310 and 300 new students, respectively. Approximately 250 students will spend their first semester at one of NYU’s academic centers abroad including Florence, London, Paris and, for the first time, Washington, D.C.

Between 15 and 20 percent of the incoming freshman class will also be the first generation in their families to complete a four-year
college program.

In a press release, NYU spokesperson John Beckman said NYU is the top choice among early decision applicants nationwide. There are 2,500 early decision applicants from the class of 2019.

“It is believed that more students applied to NYU early decision — over 7,700 — than any other college or university in the United States,” Beckman said.

Incoming CAS freshman Melvis Acosta said he is very excited to attend NYU in the fall because it is a diverse and open-minded community.

“I applied to NYU because it offered me a great education in a great city,” Acosta said. “The NYU community also seems to be very liberal and accepting, which is right in line with my own beliefs and ideals.”

Despite their excitement, some students have expressed concerns about the rising costs of attendance for the 2015-2016 academic year. A group of accepted students circulated a petition earlier protesting the increase in tuition and requesting a more affordable education.

Incoming LS freshman Brandon Richards said the rising costs of tuition could prevent him from attending his dream school.

“I come from a single parent family, with the parent being an assistant teacher, so you can only imagine that money is often tight,” Richards said. “I don’t want to give up on NYU, so I plan on applying to a multitude of scholarships, and offering a multitude of prayers. I have to make the dream work.”

Despite the tuition hike, for some students the name and reputation of NYU is worth the money.

Incoming CAS freshman Robyn Epstein said the increase in tuition did not play a large role in her decision to attend NYU.

“I knew that a school like NYU could open so many doors for me and provide me with opportunities that I wouldn’t have anywhere else,” Epstein said. “The tuition increases didn’t play a huge role in my decision because I had been encouraged by my parents to choose the college where I felt I would be happiest.”

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, April 6 print edition. Email Marita Vlachou at [email protected].