NIU released official numbers for 2004 student enrollment Tuesday that show a 9-percent decrease in freshman enrollment from last year to this year.

The 10th-day count of admissions from NIU puts overall enrollment at 24,820, a 440 student, or 1.7 percent, drop from last year. The largest drop -freshman enrollment – is the result of NIU’s efforts to limit new-student enrollment.

NIU also reported a 12-percent increase in new-student applications.

NIU wanted to keep the undergraduate enrollment at about 18,000, with a total of just under 25,000, said Bob Burk, director of the Office of Admissions. The admissions were down not because it is harder to get in, but because NIU designed it that way, he said.

Every year, more applications come in and NIU wants the most-qualified applicants to get in, Burk said. Admissions has seen a steady increase in applications over the past four years.

This year, Admissions’ goal is to keep accepting applications until Feb. 1 instead of last year’s cut-off of Jan. 12, Burk said. Last year, NIU stopped accepting transfer applications in March.

Students were advised not to wait until the last minute to apply to NIU.

Most categories in the count showed a slight decrease, with a few demonstrating a significant change.

NIU suffered through three years of budget cuts totaling nearly $40 million.

Freshman enrollment over the years

– 2,791 in fall 2000

– 2,809 in fall 2001

– 3,032 in fall 2002

– 3,239 in fall 2003

Source: NIU

Fall 2004 10th-day enrollment

2004 2003 change % change

New freshmen 2,941 3,239 – 298 -9.2%

New transfers 1,956 2,152 -196 -9.1%

On-campus undergrad 17,737 18,011 -274 -1.5%

On-campus graduate 4,108 4,144 -36 -0.9%

Off-campus undergrad 294 264 +30 +11.4%

Off-campus graduate 2,355 2,507 -152 -6.1%

Total undergraduate 18,031 18,275 -244 -1.3%

Total graduate 6,463 6,651 -188 -2.8%

Law 326 334 -8 -2.4%

TOTAL ENROLLMENT 24,820 25,260 -440 -1.7%

Source: NIU