Twenty-three new sophomores and three new juniors joined the school this September, the most new upperclassmen the school has enrolled in the past five years.

“This is the most that we have had since my time here,” Dean Beth Slattery said.

Better applicants have allowed for an extended sophomore and junior class, said Scott Turner, associate director of admission.

Students joined the campus from 23 sending schools, including multiple schools in England.

Asya Alekhina ’17, who attended King’s Canterbury School in Kent, England, moved to America in the spring.

“When I was looking at the best schools in Los Angeles, Harvard-Westlake was on top of every list,” Alekhina said. “The culture will be different from any previous schools I went to.”

New students are looking forward to all aspects of the school, ranging from philosophy classes to the basketball team.

“I’m coming to Harvard-Westlake because I wasn’t challenged enough at [Flintridge] Prep, and I thought the environment at Harvard-Westlake was a lot friendlier and nicer,” Alyson Lo ’17 said. “I’m really looking forward to meeting new people and being put in a new environment.”

Andreas Werner ’16, who attended school in Switzerland, joined the football team during summer practices.

“I’m really excited to be in an environment with motivated people,” Werner said. “I already feel familiar with everything.”

Although no official orientation for new juniors exists, sophomores attended orientation Friday with their class where they met Head of Upper School Audrius Barzdukas and head prefects Albert Choi ’15 and Sarah Winshel ’15 among other student leaders.

At orientation students also took a tour of the upper campus.