MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State University's enrollment topped 18,000 this fall for the first time in five years, and officials say returning to this level validates the university's commitment to increase admission standards and weather an initial drop in enrollment to improve the quality of the student body and the reputation of the institution.

The quality of the freshman class is one of the highest in university history. Average SAT scores, which had once been below both state and national levels, are now 19 points above the national average and 38 points above the Indiana average. Ball State also ranks second in the Mid American Conference and second among Indiana's public universities in the number of National Merit Scholars.

"Five years ago, we made an important decision and changed course," said Douglas McConkey, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management. "We anticipated enrollment would go back up, and it did, as did the quality of our students."

In 1997 with a student population of 18,528, university officials adopted tougher standards that balanced quality with quantity. Overall goals included enhancing the academic reputation of the university, improving the quality of students and becoming competitive for the best students while increasing enrollment, retention rates and the graduation rate.

In the short run, university officials understood that raising standards would decrease enrollment, and for the next two years, the student body dropped by more than 1,000 students. Once the low point was reached in 1999, however, enrollment has grown for the last three years.

"We said enrollment would go up. It has. We said we would attract better quality freshmen. We have. We said we would increase retention. And we've done that," McConkey said. "Our plan is working, and we are going to stay with that plan."

Along with enrollment increases, retention rates have also improved. McConkey cited two factors that contributed to this year's slight increase. First, better quality students are being enrolled, and they are committed to completing their degrees. Secondly, Ball State offers innovative freshman programs to help students adapt to college.

The university was recently named an "Institution of Excellence in the First College Year" by the Policy Center on the First Year of College, a national research center, based in Brevard, N.C.

Ball State, one of 13 finalists from an original field of 130 nominees, will be included in a new book from The Policy Center, tentatively entitled, "Portraits of First-Year Excellence in American Colleges and Universities."

These programs have helped freshmen experience success as well as foster their desire to continue their college careers, McConkey said.

"Our admission standards place greater weight on how students performed in high school preparatory courses than on SAT scores," McConkey said. "Based on those courses, I believe this freshman class is extremely well-prepared to handle the rigors of Ball State's curriculum."

Statistics: 

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Enrollment	18,528	17,930	17,459	17,490	17,662	18,059
Avg. SAT	986	1,013	1,023	1,034	1,040	1,039
Retention	-	68.5%	74.4%	75.5%	76.6%	77.17%

(Note to Editors: For more information, contact McConkey at (765) 285-1444 or dmcconke@bsu.edu.)