Enrollment at Kennesaw State surpasses 22,300 for fall 2009
With solid growth in applications and enrollment, KSU is increasingly becoming…
Georgia (Nov 11, 2009) —
With solid growth in applications and enrollment, KSU is increasingly becoming “a
college of choice” for high school seniors
KENNESAW, Ga. (Nov. 11, 2009) — Enrollment at Kennesaw State University grew by 4.4 percent for the fall 2009 semester
–– at a slightly faster rate than the previous two years –– to 22,389 students, capping
off another year of record enrollment at Georgia’s third largest university. Applications
overall showed yet another year of solid growth.
Enrollment of first-time freshmen also grew by 4.2 percent, to 2,749. The number of
transfer sophomores, juniors and seniors showed solid gains, with transfer students
growing by 12 percent to 1,816.
“The continued growth in enrollment attests to KSU’s increasing popularity among college-bound
students and its status as a destination university,” said President Daniel S. Papp.
“Our excellent degree programs, new dorms and cutting-edge dining hall all are attracting
impressive students from around the state and throughout the U.S.”
As enrollment has risen, KSU keeps attracting higher quality students overall. Fully-admitted
freshmen, which constitute the bulk of first-year students, had a combined SAT average
of 1086 (verbal and math) in fall 2009, compared to 1070 in fall 2008, said Joe Head,
assistant vice president for Enrollment Services and dean of University Admissions.
Kennesaw State is also making strides in attracting top-notch high school seniors.
The number of Admissions Scholars –– a program now in its second year that recruits
and recognizes graduating high school seniors at the top of their class –– grew by
10 percent, to 90 students. These are excellent students, with 1,200 on their combined
critical reading and math SAT scores and an academic G.P.A. of 3.5 or above, and KSU
is making efforts to attract them, Head said. Admissions Scholars comprise the top
5 percent of KSU’s entering freshman class.
“Kennesaw State has increasingly become a college of choice for Georgia high school
seniors, and our numbers this year show that,” Head said. “We are in the top five or six in the state.”
Also, KSU saw a jump in joint enrollment students –– accomplished high school juniors
or seniors who are enrolled in college simultaneously. Joint enrollment students,
mostly from Cobb and Cherokee counties, increased by 65 percent in fall 2009 to 125
students. About a third of these students end up enrolling at KSU as freshmen when
they graduate from high school.
Over the past few years, Kennesaw State has become increasingly attractive to more
18- and 19-year-olds from all over Georgia and elsewhere as the university has become
more selective and added state-of-the-art student housing. The university has risen
in stature, as illustrated by its inclusion in U.S.News & World Report’s 2009 and 2010 “America’s Best Colleges” issue as an “up and coming” university. KSU’s
first-year experience program has been recognized by the magazine for seven years
in a row.
A big draw to potential students is that KSU has evolved into more of a traditional
university. After decades as a commuter campus, in 2002 KSU became a residential university,
with the opening of the first on-campus student housing. Over the years, new, state-of-the-art
residential facilities have been added. The newest residence, University Village Suites,
is a 913-bed living-learning community tailored to freshmen and opened in fall 2008.
Currently, KSU has 3,050 students –– 1 out of 7 –– living in student housing, and
demand is growing. KSU will build more new housing by 2012, adding another 500 beds.
This fall, KSU came full circle in its transition into a more traditional university
with the opening of the first dining hall on campus. The 53,466-square-foot facility
seats 1,200 students and is open nights and weekends, offering residential students
more amenities on campus. Unlike other college dining facilities, The Commons Student
Culinary Center is state-of-the-art and offers high quality food cooked in small quantities
in an open kitchen and surrounding themed stations.
On the athletics front, KSU is also becoming more attractive to prospective students.
This fall, the university became a full-fledged member of NCAA Division I, the top
tier of collegiate athletics, and a new student and recreation center for intramural
and club sports opened its doors in October.
“KSU may have added one of the final notches to be fully competitive in the eyes of
traditional college-bound shoppers,” Head said. “There are several key measurements
that visitors look for when searching for colleges: quality of housing, affordability,
dining experiences, sports programs and academics. Now with the dining hall we have
virtually completed the model.”
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
