Enrollment down but more diverse at ISU

NORMAL, Ill. — Enrollment is slightly down at Illinois State University at the beginning of this school year, but incoming freshmen have higher GPAs and ACT scores.

The Normal school released enrollment figures on Thursday. Undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 20,272. The school’s freshman class has 2,981 students. That’s 3.5 percent fewer freshmen students than last year’s incoming freshman class of 3,088 students.

But Illinois State officials say the school attracted higher-achieving students this school year. They say the average ACT score for the freshman class rose to 24 from 23.7 last year and the average high school GPA rose to 3.41 from 3.37 last year.

The student body also is more diverse. It has 3.5 percent more students from underrepresented groups this year compared with last school year.