By the numbers
New freshman student demographics:
• Indiana State welcomed 1,419 first-time, full-time students this fall.
• Average GPA: 3.27.
• 47.2% are first-generation college-goers.
• 53.2% are Pell-eligible.
• 347 new Honors College students.
Key enrollment highlights for fall 2024:
• Total enrollment for fall 2024 is 7,895.
• Total undergraduate enrollment is 6,224.
• Total graduate enrollment is a 2.1% increase.
• Honors College enrollment is up by 5.3%.
• International student enrollment is up by 15.3%.
• 5,569 students are Indiana residents.
• Full-time undergraduate enrollment has experienced a decrease of 3.5%.
• Full-time graduate student enrollment is down by 2.4%.
Amid a challenging higher education landscape, Indiana State University’s enrollment has dropped to 7,895 students this fall, a 4.9% decline from last year, the university stated Aug. 29 in a news release.
First-time, full-time freshmen number 1,419 students, while last fall, it was 1,568, a 9.5% decline.
Encouraging developments include growth in the Honors College and increased international student enrollment.
ISU attributes the overall decline to a nationwide delay in FAFSA filing, lower birth rates from the early to mid-2000s (students at the current college age), and a declining college-going rate in Indiana.
ISU President Mike Godard, who began his tenure in May, acknowledged the challenges higher education faces nationwide, but expressed confidence in the university’s resilience.
Increasing enrollment “is my top priority,” he said in a Thursday afternoon interview. “It’s a major task, but I think we have opportunities. I’m optimistic about those opportunities.”
Many factors could come into play that could either positively or negatively impact higher education across the nation, he said.
“I can’t predict what all those factors may be,” he said. “But do I feel good about the changes we’re making right now to positively impact our enrollment moving into fall of 2025? Yes — 100%. I feel good about where we are heading.”
The university has seen a significant decline in enrollment in recent years. In fall 2017, enrollment was 13,045 students.
Despite the major task ahead, Godard said he is not one to look into the rear view mirror. “I’m one to look forward and see how we can improve on what we’re doing … and make sure we’re as proactive as possible,” he said.
Indiana State University will focus on key opportunities, he said: expanding high-quality programs, strategic program growth to meet workforce needs, and enhancing the globalization of campus by increasing online and flexible learning opportunities.
The president announced new initiatives to help bolster growth and simplify the process for students to choose Indiana State University.
• Elimination of application fee: ISU has eliminated the $25 application fee for domestic undergraduate students.
• Automatic admission: Undergraduate students with a 3.0 GPA or above will receive automatic preferred admission to ISU.
• Leadership reorganization: A reorganization of leadership in enrollment management, including reintroducing the vice president of enrollment management.
To grow enrollment, the university will have to take a multi-faceted approach that looks at growth in a number of ways, and not just new freshmen, he said.
But among the strategies, it is looking to digital media marketing and recently hired a social media manager.
Particularly with freshmen, “Students want to go somewhere where it’s exciting. Where they feel that there is momentum. Where they feel there is a sense of community,” Godard said. “We need to make sure we tell the story of all the great things happening at Indiana State.”
In addition, ISU hopes to improve processes related to transfer students, and it hopes to make more headway in providing credit for prior learning that can be used toward a bachelor’s degree, he said.
Godard also highlighted the Indiana State Advantage program, which provides substantial financial aid, including free tuition for Pell-eligible students across the Midwest with at least a 2.75 GPA.
The Indiana State Advantage also provides grants of up to $3,000 for all new students, beginning in their second year, to support experiences like study abroad and internships.
“Our focus remains on making high-quality education accessible and affordable for all students,” Godard said.
ISU continues to see growth in Honors College enrollment, with 347 honors students in the freshman class, representing a record 24.5% of the class.
Despite the challenges, Indiana State University remains a cornerstone of the Terre Haute community, Godard said.
“Our students, faculty, and staff contribute significantly to the local economy and engage in community service, strengthening the bond between the university and Terre Haute,” the president said. “The relationship between Indiana State and Terre Haute is mutually beneficial — when one thrives, so does the other.”
Community partners can help turn enrollment around by spreading the good word about what Terre Haute and ISU has to offer, he said.
Also, “We want to have as many K-12 students come on our campus as possible,” which can impact future decisions about where to attend college, he said.
Godard added, “I am eager to continue building on the positive momentum we’ve created on campus and have seen throughout the community.”
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