Georgia State Enrolls more than 30,000 Students this Fall

Georgia State University expects to enroll more than 30,000 students for the fall 2009 semester, breaking the institution’s records for undergraduate and graduate students.

As of Aug. 19, Georgia State had 22,587 undergraduates and 7,676 graduate students enrolled for a total of 30,263, an increase of 7 percent over last fall.

The overall student body for fall 2008 was 28,175 graduate and undergraduate students.

“We are delighted to enroll more than 30,000 students for the first time in our 96-year history,” Georgia State President Mark P. Becker said. “This milestone reflects both improvements in recruiting high ability students and the university’s efforts to provide the best possible educational experience in the heart of downtown Atlanta. Georgia State University is on the rise, and people are noticing.”

GSU will welcome its largest freshmen class this fall with 2,965 students, about 200 students more than last year. As the number of freshmen increase, so does their academic ability.

The fall 2009 freshman class has an average SAT score of 1089, up eight points from last fall, and a GPA of 3.35, compared with 3.32, the average GPA from fall 2008.

“We not only attracted more students overall but we’ve also seen an uptick in the quality of the pool, in terms of their GPA, SAT scores and academic accomplishments,” said Scott Burke, director of Undergraduate Admissions at GSU. “That’s attributed to a greater number of students interested in attending Georgia State and our recruitment efforts to bring higher quality students to the institution.”

The number of graduate students is increasing as well, with a record 2,020 new graduates students enrolled. Despite the economic downturn, students continue to enroll in GSU’s professional school graduate programs.

“Students are particularly seeking out graduate programs with assistantships and teaching opportunities,” said Timothy Renick, GSU associate provost and chief enrollment officer. “Georgia State is becoming a top choice for graduate students.”

The university also enrolled over 350 new international students, the highest number since before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Like many public institutions, Georgia State is seeing an increase in student enrollments because of its affordability, an important factor in a recession. However, the university received a 21 percent increase in applications for the fall semester. Nationally, the average increase in applications to public institutions was 5 percent.

Over the last decade, GSU has made great strides, transforming from its commuter school roots into a major urban research university that meets the needs of both traditional and non-traditional students.

The new Panther football program, set to begin in fall 2010, and new construction projects, such as the Freshman Hall and the multi-million dollar science center, have created a buzz about GSU.

Georgia State will welcome students with a variety of activities this month.

New and returning students will have more than 40 events to enjoy in this year’s Panther Welcome program, which runs through Aug. 28. Events include GSU Idol, a casino night, movies, sessions on study tips and many more with activities and events designed to get students acquainted with campus services, involved in organizations and meeting new friends. For a complete list, visit www.gsu.edu/pantherwelcome.

GSU students also can easily find answers to questions at the Mega One Stop Shop, held through Aug. 21 in the Student Center Ballroom. The shop is a centralized enrollment services center with advisors from academic programs, housing, financial aid, class registration, student accounts and more. It will be open 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 20-21. For more information, visit www.gsu.edu/onestopshop.

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