15-Day Report: BGSU shows enrollment growth

BGSU’s freshman enrollment has risen significantly this year, according to the fall semester 15-day report released Sept. 9.

Freshman enrollment is up 12 percent over last year, with 3,392 new freshmen. Last year’s fall 15-day count was 3,036.

Total overall enrollment is also up a bit over last year, said Cecilia Castellano, vice provost for strategic enrollment planning. The University has 19,172 students; last fall the count was 18,856. BGSU Firelands saw an increase in freshman enrollment, but a small decrease in overall enrollment from last fall, from 2,290 to 2,260.

Importantly, retention is also trending upward, Castellano noted, with 77.2 percent retention of last semester’s freshmen, representing a 2 percent increase from 2014 and a significant improvement over the past five years.

The report identified growth in specific areas, including transfer students (a 4 percent increase) and, most notably, international students, with gains in freshman, transfer, and graduate students from abroad. International students represent 21 countries.

A snapshot of the freshman class shows even more diversity — 20 percent report a multicultural identity and 14.3 percent are from other states. BGSU freshmen are coming from all regions of the country, ranging from Alaska to California, Texas and New York, from 32 states in all.

Updated: 12/02/2017 12:48AM