Youngstown State University opened a new academic year today with increased enrollment, residence halls at capacity and a freshman class that is the strongest academically in the university’s history.
YSU started the fall semester with 12,801 students, up 426 from 12,375 on the first day of classes last year, according to unofficial student counts. (Official student counts will be recorded on the 15th day of the semester.) It is YSU’s first fall-to-fall enrollment increase since 2010.
The incoming freshman class is 6 percent larger than last year and, for the third consecutive year, has the highest standardized test scores and high school grade point averages in YSU’s history.
“Reversing the trend on enrollment is a major step forward as we continue to focus on increasing excellence across campus,” said YSU President Jim Tressel. “While growing enrollment will remain a priority, we also are working hard to ensure that, once here at YSU, students have the resources to find success, graduate on time, with as little debt as possible and with a job.”
“Enrollment success is dependent on the work of the entire campus community,” said Gary Swegan, associate vice president of Enrollment Management. “YSU faculty, staff and current students have worked extremely hard to put us in a position to share this very positive news for fall 2016.”
Specifically:
• University residence halls, as well at the YSU Courtyard Apartments on Wick Oval, are at capacity with 1,278 students, up from 1,154 two years ago. In addition, the new University Edge apartments, a privately owned and operated student apartment complex on Rayen Avenue, are filled, with 162 students.
• 2,193 freshmen enrolled, up 6 percent from last year and 20 percent from 2014. • 21.75 average ACT test scores for incoming freshmen, a new high. The scores surpass last year’s 21.19 and the 21.09 in 2014.
• 3.24 average high school grade point average of incoming freshmen, also a new high. The average is above last year’s 3.14, 3.12 in 2014 and 2.97 in 2013. • 245 freshmen in the Honors College, up from 175 last year and 96 in 2014.
• Freshmen from 23 states, 459 high schools and 51 Ohio counties, up from 16 states, 303 high schools and 37 Ohio counties in 2014.
• Significant enrollment gains in four of YSU’s five primary service counties, despite overall population declines: Trumbull up 10.5 percent, Columbiana up 52 percent, Mercer County (Pa.) up 12 percent and Lawrence County (Pa.) up 14.71 percent. Mahoning County is down 1.15 percent.
• The number of transfer students and students enrolled in graduate-level classes is also up.
© 2016 Metro Monthly. All rights reserved.
