Illinois State University sees increase in graduate students

NORMAL, Ill. (AP) - Enrollment figures for the fall semester show Illinois State University saw a slight drop in undergraduate students but an increase in graduate students this year.

The university in Normal released enrollment data for the 2017-2018 academic year Wednesday. The school reported having about 3,350 new freshmen. They're among 18,330 undergraduates, compared with 18,643 undergraduates in fall 2016 - a loss of about 1.7 percent.

However ISU has 2,242 graduate students this fall. That's a 2.4 percent increase over last fall. The school said this year marks its highest graduate student enrollment in the last three academic years.

ISU's overall student body this fall is about 20,780.

ISU President Larry Dietz says Illinois State "remains strong and stable" amid competitive student recruiting and the lingering effects of the state budget crisis.