EDWARDSVILLE – With a focus on quality and affordability, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville foresees a promising incoming freshman class, according to early data for the fall 2020 recruitment cycle.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
SIUE freshman applications for fall 2020 have reached an all-time record of 10,860 students. The previous high of 10,735 applications occurred at the end of the recruitment cycle in August 2015.
Applications are up 1,895 (+21%) from a year ago, and admitted freshmen have increased by 1,010 students (+20%). Springboard (freshman registration and orientation program) deposits are running 65 students (+27%) ahead of the same date last year. More than 300 have committed to attending this year compared to 238 (+27%) a year ago. The average ACT for committed students is 24.
The largest percentage increases in Springboard deposits result from students interested in the Schools of Engineering (+55%) and Nursing (+47%). Growth is also coming from Chicago students (+187%), Springfield (+35%), and SIUE’s local region (+27%). Deposits from students with diverse and underrepresented backgrounds are also up 33%.
“Increased interest in SIUE’s engineering and nursing programs is driving the application surge along with more interest from St. Louis, Chicago, and both local and rural Illinois students,” said Todd Burrell, director of undergraduate admissions. “We’ve been recruiting many of these students since their sophomore year in high school. We have also introduced new technology to the recruitment and application process, which has been particularly beneficial for typically underrepresented student populations. Applications from African American students are up 12% and Latinx student applications are up 68%.”
“Our challenge now is to stay connected with applicants and their families as they move through the next 90 days and make their final decisions about where to attend college,” said Scott Belobrajdic, EdD, associate vice chancellor for enrollment management. “As a research institution, we are committed to making our academic resources as financially accessible to students as possible.”
Although SIUE’s overall spring 2020 enrollment is 353 students (-2.8%) lower than spring 2019 with total enrollment standing at 12,264 as compared to 12,617 last spring, a variety of positive trends continue.
Graduate enrollment has increased for the fourth straight spring semester, improving by 177 students (+9%) compared to spring 2019. Graduate enrollment has increased in the Schools of Business (128 students / +52%), Nursing (43 students / +14%), Engineering (14 students / +7.2%), and Education, Health and Human Behavior (19 students / +4%).
International enrollment also continues to grow as 388 international students are enrolled, marking the largest overall headcount since fall 2016. This runs counter to the national trend of decreasing international student access to and interest in U.S. institutions.
With the SIU Board of Trustees proposing a second consecutive year without a tuition increase, SIUE will continue to deliver a high-quality academic experience at a consistently affordable price to its students and their families.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose to shape a changing world. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of more than 13,000.
