Eastern Michigan University seeks to surpass its projected enrollment numbers for fall 2013.
Vice president of enrollment management services at EMU, Kevin Kucera, said that although it is too early to give an exact number of students who will eventually be registered for the fall semester, the office performs an extensive amount of tracking of this particular information throughout the year.
Kucera said that the returning student credit-hour rate is up about 7 percent, and new incoming freshmen students are up around 20 percent.
“We’re anticipating having another record freshmen class, and a strong showing on returning students,” he said.
Last fall, EMU saw the freshmen number jump from around 2,100 to 2,600. Kucera said that although the number only increased by 500 students, not too many public institutions in the state experienced an increase at all. Kucera said the university looks to gain 3,000 freshmen for the fall of 2013.
“The other thing that really excited us about our increase was the quality of students in the terms that their academic skill level was also stronger,” Kucera said.
EMU also went up from a 21.1 ACT score to a 21.5 ACT. Kucera said that might not seem like a lot, but in the world of mathematics and statistics, the jump was a significant increase. He said the ACT composite at the present time for the 2,400 freshmen already enrolled is at a 22 ACT score.
When it comes to getting students in the door at EMU, Kucera said that the university has done a good job at messaging to perspective students.
“Some families are very concerned about finances so I think we’ve done a good job at portraying our finance scholarship programs,” Kucera said. “Other families are concerned about the reputation of the school, the academic quality of the institution, and I think we’ve done a good job at messaging that.”
EMU student body president, Desmond Miller, said that an increase in student enrollment also helps the surrounding communities.
“I think enrollment plays a big role on campus and the surrounding areas,” Miller said. “If enrollment is up, which is always great, it typically means the university has to strategize how to make accommodations to the increase of students. This usually means more business for the Ypsi businesses.”
Miller also said he thinks that enrollment is strong at EMU due to the recruiting campaigns and that EMU has a lot to offer its students.
EMU student body vice president, Nino Monea, agreed with Miller.
“More students means that there are going to be more people joining organizations, taking classes and overall making the campus more dynamic,” Monea said. “Similarly, more people living and working in the community strengthens the connection between EMU and Ypsi.”
