The University of Southern Indiana is touting an increase of freshman students, but USI’s overall enrollment is down.
The university is reporting its largest freshman class in two years – about 1700 students.
A news release from the university says more than half of the freshmen earned some college credit in high school.
USI President Linda Bennett calls the increase in first-year students a “turning point.”
Meantime, the overall enrollment for the university dropped more than 300 students compared to last year, at just over 9,000.
But USI spokeswoman Kindra Strupp tells WNIN that if you count dual credit students – those taking college courses in high school -- the enrollment is nearly 11,000.
Most students at USI come from Vanderburgh and its contiguous counties, but almost every Indiana county is represented.
Minority and international students make up more than 13 percent of the enrollment.
And about one-in-five USI students is 25-years-old or older.