PULLMAN, Wash.–Enrollment throughout Washington State University’s multicampus system has reached a spring semester record high and officials report a surge in admission applications.
The number of students registered for spring classes is 19,474, compared with 19,415 last spring. WSU Vancouver showed the largest increase, up 171 from a year ago to 1,334. Pullman enrollments climbed to 16,554, up 44. WSU Spokane has 401, down 17 students, caused by a one-year change in the pharmacy degree program. WSU Tri-Cities enrollment is 1,185, a decline of 139 from a year ago.
Interest in Washington State University continues to climb, evidenced by a substantial increase in the number of admissions inquiries, said Provost Gretchen M. Bataille.
An aggressive marketing program, coupled with the exceptional exposure received by its appearance in this year’s Rose Bowl, has significantly raised awareness of the university and the quality of educational opportunities available, Bataille said.
The university expects a larger freshman class next fall, resulting from the applications increase, balancing out a shortfall in this year’s contract enrollment, the provost said.
WSU will be approximately 4 percent under its annual enrollment target of 19,360 full-time-equivalents (FTE). An FTE represents an undergraduate student enrolled in 15 semester credit hours and a graduate student enrolled in 10 credit hours.
Higher non-resident tuition has reduced out-of-state enrollment by 312 from last year, and the Asian economic situation has resulted in a decline of 93 international registrations compared to a year ago, Bataille said.
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