If Oswego's admissions trends could be described in one word, it would be "up."

The number of applicants, new undergraduate students, students living on campus and newcomers' academic credentials are all on the upswing, said Dr. Joseph F. Grant Jr., vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.

Preliminary figures show 1,425 freshmen and 680 transfers enrolled this fall.

One of the biggest spikes comes in undergraduate applications, with first-time full-time students applying to Oswego surging to 9,985 for fall 2008. This is nearly 650 more than last year and represents a 34.2 percent increase since 2003, Grant said.

On the flip side, the acceptance rate is down. Only 48 percent of the applicants were accepted this fall, down from 57 percent five years ago, which means the college is able to be increasingly selective when it comes to qualifications of those admitted, Grant noted.

The incoming class is a talented one, he said. Some 560 freshmen received some level of merit scholarship, including 175 Presidential Scholars with a mean high school average of 94 and 1240 SAT score. Oswego was able to award more than 50 merit scholarships over last year's total, part of more than $66 million in merit and need-based grants, work-study, loans and other financial aid the college provides.

The overall academic qualifications for incoming students rose to a high school average of 89.5 and 1,100 SAT score.

The new enrollment figures, combined with a greater percentage of returning students choosing to live on campus, leads to a higher campus population - around 4,100 students. To meet demand for residence hall rooms, the college opened Sheldon Hall as a residence for around 65 upperclassmen and transfers.

"I've talked with the students in Sheldon, and they are excited about it," Grant said of the converted conference facilities that include large rooms with individual bathrooms.

"We expect this kind of arrangement until the townhouse project opens in fall 2010," he added. "But we're happy to have a large number. Housing a robust, diverse student population makes for a vibrant campus."

The overall enrollment projects at around 8,200 -- 7,100 of them full-time. The figure does not count about 600 high school students taking modern language credit classes.

Grant thinks that Oswego's broad offering of programs and strong merit scholarship programs are two factors powering increased applications. But Oswego's reputation as being a campus on the move also has led to the rise in interest, he noted.

"People see the more than $250 million in facility investments we've made so far, and the increased curb appeal," Grant said. "They know that we're willing to invest, and we're continuing with $110 million for the science facilities, $40 million for the residential village, and another $20 million for School of Education renovations. Academically, we've added a software engineering major and launched the School of Communication, Media and the Arts."

The effort to recruit the class of 2013 is already under way, including the Columbus Day Open House Oct. 13.

-- Tim Nekritz M '05

PHOTO CAPTION:
Admissions tour guide Rachel Newport '09 (right) leads families through the Academic Quad during a recent program for prospective students.

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