Inside INdiana Business is reporting that enrollment at Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus has reached an all-time high. The university is reporting the campus has a record 46,114 students this fall, including an incoming class of nearly 9,000 students.
Purdue enrollment officers say the increased numbers are due to the Protect Purdue Plan and all the preparation done by faculty, staff and campus personnel. The school also created an online option, which enabled 4,900 students who could not be on campus to be able to take courses completely online.
A new direct-admission program created in 2015 by Purdue President Mitch Daniels, Summer Start, which helps expand access to education for lower-income students was able to accommodate more than 300 students this year.
“Our staff and faculty have done a great job in reaching out in a variety of ways to welcome our new students, especially during the uncertainty of the spring. That commitment, as well as everyone’s flexibility, is why we are experiencing such large interest in Purdue and what our students and graduates can learn and apply out in the world,” said Kristina Wong Davis, vice provost for enrollment management.
The university is also reporting graduation rates, both four and six year, for students who began in 2016 and 2014, respectively, increased to highs of more than 62% and 83%, which are both record highs.
Indiana University is reporting, as of August 31, 90,090 students are enrolled at IU campuses, with 70% of them Indiana residents. It’s the largest total of Hoosier students at any Indiana college or university. IU is also reporting their campuses are more diverse than ever in its 200-year history. The record total of 23,401 minority students is 28% of the total-degree seeking students.
All IU campuses hit fall enrollment targets, with enrollment officers listing the continued growth of the IU Online program as a major factor.
“We are extremely proud that — in the face of enormous challenges confronting colleges and universities in Indiana and across the nation — we are continuing to meet our core mission of bringing greater health and prosperity to Hoosiers through the world-class education we offer,” IU President Michael A. McRobbie said. “We continue to see very large numbers of new and returning students who are choosing to pursue their degrees at IU, which reflects the success of our efforts to ensure that our academic programs remain accessible and affordable to students from all backgrounds, and that they are highly relevant and responsive to the most important needs of our students and our state’s leading employers.”