Freshmen applications to NIU are up 12 percent from last year, rising from 16,121 to 18,081, while transfer student applications are up 6 percent.

Several factors were cited for the rise in freshman and transfer student applicants.

NIU President John Peters said an increase in high school graduation rates in Illinois, coupled with NIU’s reputation as a good place to get an education at a good price, are possible reasons for the rise in applications.

“I am very pleased with the incoming class, with their grade point average and with their level of high school preparedness,” Peters said.

Peters also acknowledged that the success of last season’s football team, as well as NIU’s proximity to Chicago, may have helped with the increase in applicants.

“I think we will see an increase in the number of applications for the next several years,” he said.

Despite the increase, NIU has taken steps to limit the number of students it enrolls, Peters said.

“NIU doesn’t have the room right now to take on a lot more students,” he said.

Director of Admissions Robert Burk said the university started a waiting list for freshmen Jan. 12 because of the high number of applicants.

“By the first of January, we had received almost as many applications as we did almost all of last year for the fall of 2003,” Burk said. “We ended up having to close the wait list [on the same day] since we had over 1,200 freshmen [already] on the wait-list.”

NIU had to turn away fully qualified students for missing an application deadline to go for a steady enrollment, Burk said.

Burk said the official enrollment list will be released Sept. 13.

Freshman Year Applicants

Fall ‘02 14,791

Fall ‘03 16,121

Fall ‘04 18,081

Source: NIU Office of Admissions