GC&SU enrollment and SAT scores continue to go up

The minimum SAT requirements for freshman increased to 940 points, the highest standard since Georgia College & State University became a public liberal arts university.

According to Maryllis Wolfgang, director of admissions, the SAT requirements will continue to increase yearly by 20 points until fall 2005 when it reaches 1000.

“I am extremely pleased that we have continued an upward trend in SAT scores,” said Dr. Rosemary DePaolo, president of the university. “We are attracting some of the best students from throughout the state.”

Most would think that a higher SAT requirement would stall the universities enrollment; however, it isn’t the case. Enrollment for fall 2002 on the main campus has risen by 532 students to 4,892, and is up overall by 480 students, a total of 5,559 compared to last fall. The university has been recruiting the best and brightest students throughout Georgia, and as a result the university depicts a better representation of the state.

Average SAT scores of fall semester 2002 entering freshman are 1062, above the state average at 980 and national average at 1020. In 2002, 22 percent of entering freshman were from central Georgia while the rest were from other parts of the state, in particular north Georgia.

“We accept students who provide evidence for success at the university,” said Wolfgang.

Since GC&SU was designated by the University System’s Board of Reagents as Georgia’s public liberal arts university, the school has raised its effort toward fulfilling its mission and changing the universities overall image.

Ask Paul Jones, vice president for Enrollment Services and he’ll tell you, “We’re going to be different.”

The freshman retention rate has gone up 5 percent to 77 percent compared to last year’s 72 percent. Not only are more students enrolling, but also GC&SU is satisfying the expectations of their students enough to present a need to come back.

“In fall semester 2002, GC&SU hired 86 new faculty and staff,” said Dr. Jim Purcell, director of Institutional Planning and Policy Analysis. “In effect, the average class sizes is 17 students.”

Literally, GC&SU is on the move! If we aren’t changing one thing, we’re re-enforcing another aspect of the university while transforming the image and confidence of the university and its’ students. As simply stated in the undergraduate application, “We don’t just look like a private college. We act like one, too.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 27 2002. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry