Record Number of Students Apply and Largest Freshman Class Enrolls

DePaul University’s total enrollment increased by 5.1 percent to 20,547 students this fall, surpassing the 20,000 mark for the first time in the university’s 102-year history and extending DePaul’s status as the largest Catholic university in the nation.

DePaul maintained its selectivity while enrolling 1,950 freshmen, its biggest freshman class ever, chosen from a record number of applicants. Freshmen applications rose by 32 percent from a year ago, increasing from 6,050 to 8,014. “During this period of dramatic growth, the caliber of students also is rising,” said Ray Kennelly, associate vice president for enrollment management. “This year’s freshman class, for example, posted higher class rankings and ACT test scores than last year’s, and only 74 percent of applicants were admitted, down from about 81 percent three years ago.”

Since 1990, DePaul’s overall enrollment has increased by 31 percent, or 4,829 students. DePaul has set a goal to enroll 24,000 students by 2006 and is on track to reach that goal, part of DePaul’s mission to expand access to higher education.

“This growth is a testament to the quality and accessibility of DePaul's undergraduate, graduate and professional programs and to the success of our enrollment management strategies,” said David Kalsbeek, DePaul vice president for enrollment management. “With the growing recognition of the value of a DePaul degree, we continue to gain ground in market position and prominence.” Enrollment figures became official in October when they were reported to the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Minority students represent 30.4 percent of DePaul’s total enrollment. Of overall enrollment, 10.4 percent are African-Americans, nine percent are Hispanics/Latinos and 11 percent are Asian/Pacific Islanders. DePaul, which advocates access to education for students of all backgrounds, has increased minority enrollment by 41 percent since 1996. Total university enrollment rose by 16 percent during the same period.

This year’s freshman class included 201 more students than last year, an 11 percent increase. Thirty-three percent of the freshmen are minorities, with 203 Asians/Pacific Islanders, 269 Hispanics/Latinos and 159 African Americans. Sixty percent of the freshmen are women. Forty-two percent of freshmen are first-generation college students.

Education was a popular field of study for freshmen entering DePaul this fall. School of Education freshmen enrollment increased 49 percent from last year, from 88 to 132 students. Other trends included a 13 percent increase in the number of freshmen enrolling in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, rising from 831 last fall to 942 this fall. The number of freshmen enrolling in the School of Computer Science, Telecommunications and Information Systems (CTI) rose 16 percent to 220 students this fall. CTI has doubled its enrollment since 1997.

Total graduate school enrollment, which includes the College of Law, grew by four percent to 8,104 students, while undergraduate enrollment rose by 5.6 percent to 12,443 students this autumn. Technology continues to be the fastest growing area of study for graduate students. CTI’s graduate enrollment jumped 27 percent from last year, rising from 1,620 to 2,052. Offering a comprehensive curricula, CTI has the largest graduate computer science program enrollment in the nation.

DePaul also saw the number of students living on campus increase in the last year from 1,929 to 2,443. The university opened two new residence halls on the Lincoln Park Campus to accommodate the undergraduate demand for housing. In addition to its main Lincoln Park and Loop campuses, DePaul has campuses in Lake Forest, Des Plaines (O’Hare Campus), Rolling Meadows, Naperville and Oak Forest (South Campus), and MBA and bachelor degree programs in Hong Kong.