IU receives record number of applicants

Imagine 31,000 people competing for 7,000 spots. That is the challenge for students wishing to enroll at IU this fall.\nAlthough IU received a record number of applicants this year, Roger Thompson, vice provost for enrollment management, said the number of applications has constantly grown throughout the years.\nFour years ago, the number of applications was about 20,000, Thompson said, and last year the number of applications received was 28,000. IU Chancellor Ken Gros Louis said there’s one reason for the growth.\n“IU is a hot school right now,” he said.\nGros Louis said having the slogan “IU is red hot” doesn’t hurt.\nIU can attribute the growth to good publicity and the energetic presidency of IU President Michael McRobbie, Gros Louis said. Thompson said another factor is IU’s strong academic foundation, with departments such as the Jacobs School of Music, Kelley School of Business and the School of Journalism.\n“You name it, we have an outstanding program for it,” Thompson said. \nThis year’s freshman class has the highest SAT average in the history of IU, and Thompson said he expects next year’s class to have an even higher average. Gros Louis also said IU’s academic standards have increased.\n“Students that would have gotten in four or five years ago wouldn’t be getting in now,” Gros Louis said.\nGros Louis also said good students want to go where other good students are.\nProvost Karen Hanson said word is getting out about IU’s progress. She said the IU Office of Admissions has been working on outreach in and out of the state, promoting the quality of education students can receive at IU.\nThe office has also added a DVD to the package IU applicants receive. The DVD describes Bloomington, IU athletics and academics. Most of the people speaking in the DVD are students, which is helpful, Gros Louis said. Thompson said the DVD has generated a lot of excitement.\nThompson said IU looks for the usual strong GPA and test scores to make individual students stand out. But he also said IU is looking for leaders.\nHanson said IU also looks for the applicant who has made special contributions to his or her community and high school.\nBecause of the rise in applicants, IU will also be raising its admission standards in 2011, Gros Louis said. He said IU couldn’t raise its standards immediately ­­– it must first make high school counselors aware of the changes.\n“The real goal is to make sure terrific students know this is a destination school where they will be stimulated,” Hanson said.