IUPUI Students Return to Class, Freshmen Better Prepared, Enrollment "Increase" Offsets Program Change

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) continues to attract more, and better qualified students.

The average combined math and reading SAT score among first-time, full-time freshmen admitted to IUPUI this fall is a record 1017, up 9 points from last year.

That record SAT score among entering freshman comes in the wake of a record number of students applying for admission to IUPUI. A total of 9,261 prospects applied for admission as freshmen, up more than 9.2 percent from last year

Classes began Wednesday (August 26, 2009) at IUPUI. While official enrollment figures will be available after the second week of classes, officials on opening day projected a record enrollment of about 30,350 students.

“Though the census count won’t take place until Sept. 2, preliminary numbers suggest IUPUI’s enrollment will equal or run slightly ahead of last year’s record of 30,300,” said Rebecca Porter, IUPUI associate vice chancellor and executive director for enrollment services.

The anticipated increase is significant given that an Indiana University program change will shift about 950 students from IUPUI enrollment figures.

Previous IUPUI enrollment figures included students in the Kelley School of Business online MBA program which is taught by faculty from both the IUPUI and IU Bloomington campus. This fall the online program’s 950 students will be included in the IU Bloomington campus enrollment figures. Thus this year’s IUPUI enrollment will, in effect, represent an increase of about 1,000 students – if estimates pan out.

Professional degree programs are among the individual programs attracting more students to IUPUI. A total of 512 students are seeking Ph.D. degrees on the IUPUI campus, up from 479 last year

The two newest Ph.D. programs, one in health and rehabilitation science and another in biostatistics, are experiencing promising enrollments. Nine students are enrolled in the health and rehabilitation science Ph.D. program, up from 5 last year. The biostatistics Ph.D. program, now in its first year, has 5 enrolled students.

The IU School of Dentistry, located at IUPUI, has 429 professional-level students enrolled, 19 more than last year.