EVANSVILLE— This year's freshman class at the University of Southern Indiana is smaller than last year's, but it's smarter.
The fall semester enrollment of 1,876 first-time students is down 149 from last year's record number, but they come with the strongest academic credentials of any freshman class in USI's history.
That is by design, said Eric Ott, the university's director of admissions. "USI is focusing on admitting students more likely to succeed here."
In past years, up to 8 percent of USI students were enrolled with conditional status, the university's designation for those who "may not be as well prepared to find success at a four-year university." This year, USI admitted only 1.2 percent with conditional status.
Average SAT scores for the new freshmen are up 20 points over last year's group and up 43 points over the last three years, said Kathy Funke, director of USI's news services. The mean grade-point average for USI freshmen also set a record high this year, hitting 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
The decline in freshman enrollment was part of a year-to-year drop of 343 in this year's total enrollment of 10,467 students. The university set a record last year's 10,820 students, after steady increases since 2004, Funke said.
"USI is adapting with an eye to quality," President Linda Bennett said. "We are admitting students who are prepared for college work and who have a plan to complete course work in four years. USI accepts students who want to learn, share and apply knowledge."
"We continue to be a public university of opportunity," Bennett said. "Now, though, students have community college options that were not in place in 1965 when USI was founded. Many of these students eventually come to USI, but after they've raised their academic achievement level and are ready to complete a bachelor's degree."
In addition to admitting students more prepared to succeed, the university is improving its student advising.
"We've established advising centers in the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education and in the College of Nursing and Health Professions," she said. "Two more advising centers will be created next year in the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Business. Through careful advising, students learn how to set goals and discuss career aspirations. Academic advisers help students understand degree requirements and how to plan classes to meet their goals."
The majority of students at USI continue to come from Vanderburgh and contiguous counties, although the university has students enrolled from 89 Indiana counties and 44 other states. Sixty-one countries are represented among the enrollees. Minority and international students make up nearly 11 percent of the student population.
Female students represent 62 percent of the student population and nearly 25 percent of the students are 25 years old or older. Full-time students continue to be in the majority and 969 graduate students are enrolled.