By Rachel Gobep
Youngstown State University has received the highest number of freshman applicants in campus history, according to Gary Swegan, associate vice president of enrollment and management.
Swegan announced that there were 10,207 applicants for the fall 2018 semester on June 6 at the Academic and Student Affairs Board of Trustees Committee meeting.
The number of applicants has grown throughout the years, with 3,413 applicants in fall 2014, 6,781 in 2015, 8,606 in 2016 and 9,504 in 2017.
Of those that applied for the fall semester 7,012 have been admitted into the university. This number has also grown, with 2,815 admitted in fall 2014, 4,726 in 2015, 5,743 in 2016 and 6,188 in 2017.
Honors College students, ACT test scores, grade point averages and scholarships awarded have also continued to increase.
YSU Honors College applications have gone up from 144 in 2014 to 521 for fall 2018; ACT test scores have increased from 21.09 to 22.09; the average GPAs are up from 3.12 to 3.41 and scholarships awarded to freshman students have increased from 1,778 to 3,863.
Swegan said scholarships are on a rolling process and the number is a raw figure of how many incoming freshmen have received scholarships.
Ernie Barkett, president of the student government association, said the incoming freshman class’ test scores help to improve the academic level of the university.
“The increase in number and quality of students enrolling continues to be a testament to the work done by the YSU community over the past three years,” Barkett said.
Swegan said students have applied to YSU from 85 of Ohio’s 88 counties, 42 states, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. There have been 5,267 students admitted from Ohio and 1,745 admitted out-of-state.
Swegan said the top six cities in Ohio that students have applied from are Austintown, Boardman, Canfield, Hubbard, Howland and Struthers.
Additionally, the university is down in transfer student applications. As of June 6, 914 transfer students applied to YSU. The number increased from 617 in fall 2014, 914 in 2015, 986 in 2016 to 1,030 in 2017.
The number of transfer students admitted has decreased for the fall 2018 semester with 482 admitted. The number increased from 427 in fall 2014, 498 in 2015, 515 in 2016 and 553 in 2017.
Swegan said as the university has done a better job recruiting freshman, YSU will not receive as many transfers. He said this is because students may begin their college career by attending YSU, instead of going to another campus and then coming back to Youngstown.
Orientation attendance by the incoming freshman class has also increased compared to previous years, and according to Swegan, campus housing is full.
Eddie Howard, vice president of student affairs, said The Enclave, University Edge and the University Courtyard Apartments are full, while the Flats at Wick are at 90 percent capacity.
Swegan said the increasing amount of housing available at the university enhances the environment.
He said he felt that there was a desire to break out of the five-county region when he began working at YSU in November 2013. He said he believes that expanding housing is something the university needed to do to have students apply from different areas.
Swegan also said President Jim Tressel has helped to market the university in a different way because he is well-known, which has enhanced the YSU’s ability to reach a larger population.