Selective admission driving YSU's upward enrollment trend

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State University continues on its upward enrollment trend because of moderate selectivity admission, said Gary Swegan, university associate vice president for enrollment planning and management.

“As you get better-prepared students, it would stand to reason that you would be more successful in getting them to the finish line – graduating them,” he said.

As of fall 2016, YSU had an enrollment of 12,756 students, a 2.2 percent increase and the first since 2010.

The 2010 academic school year brought an influx of about 15,000 students at one time due to lack of jobs during the recession, Swegan said.

But from the 15,000-student high, YSU experienced a downward trend as time went on.

“During a major national recession, our enrollment went from 13,800 [average] to 15,194 in fall 2010 and then went right back down,” Swegan said.

The sharp and high increase, he said, was not healthy.

“It was not successful in terms of graduating all of those students,” Swegan said.

Over time, changes in state funding for students decreased attendance. In addition to student state funding, university state funding forced university leaders to rethink admission practices. This led former YSU President Randy Dunn to enact moderate selectivity in fall 2014.

To be admitted, students must have at least a 2.0 grade-point average and at least a 17 score on the ACT test.

The proof of selectivity benefiting enrollment lies in the honors program admission, Swegan said.

Read more about the situation in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.