Preliminary numbers show fewer freshmen enrolling at Ohio University than last year, even though OU received
more applications.

Compared to the same time last year, more than 100 fewer students have accepted housing contracts — a strong indicator that they will attend OU, said T. David Garcia, director of Admissions. High fuel prices and a weak economy are pushing students to attend universities closer to home, he said.

Nearly 14,000 students applied for 4,050 available spots — 1,000 more applicants than this time than last year, Garcia said.

More college-visit programs such as Ohio Showcases and the new Baker University Center boosted the number of applications, Garcia said.

“We have more Baker and more space for more groups,” he said. “Baker has really played a key role in bringing more visitors to campus.”

OU’s strategic plan calls for the university to decrease its acceptance rate, raise its average ACT composite score, and increase diversity among other things — and despite the low enrollment figures, OU is on track to complete all three.

OU admitted 77 percent of applicants, down from last year’s admittance rate of 82 percent, according to Michael Williford, associate provost of Institutional Research and Enrollment Planning.

The plan calls for the acceptance rate to be lowered to 81.5 percent by the end of the 2008-09 school year and continue decreasing until it reaches 79.5 percent during 2012-13.

Garcia said OU likely will admit more international students if the number of completed housing contracts doesn’t increase in the next few months. The students, mostly from China, are coming to OU because the office of admissions is working with Chinese universities to admit more students. OU expects to enroll between 125 and 150 international students this year, compared to 19 two years ago.

Additionally, OU beat its first-year goal of raising the average ACT composite score from 23.6 to 23.7. Currently, the average ACT score of the incoming freshman class is 23.92, Williford said. In the last year of the plan, 2012-13, OU aims to have an average ACT score of 24.1.

OU also admitted more international and multicultural students. Applications from black students increased by nearly 200 compared to this time last year, from 965 to 1,156. International student applications also increased, rising from 203 last year to 361 this year.

“We look at Vision Ohio as our recruitment plan to help us for goals for the entire university,” said Garcia.
Garcia said OU loses students to universities such as Ohio State University and Miami University because they are offering more financial aid packages.

But Sondra Williams, director of Financial Aid, isn’t deterred that competing schools might offer students more attractive financial aid packages.

“Naturally, I’d like to have more money,” Williams said. “I’ve been happy that our university and administration has recognized in the past and has put something into our program.”

According to the Board of Regents, OU gives fewer institutional awards to its students compared to Miami and OSU. Last year, OU gave an average of $4,100 in institutional awards to 50 percent of its students compared to OSU, which gave an average of $4,900 to 80 percent of its students. Miami gave $12,400 to 79 percent of its students.

In 2006, OU offered institutional grants to only 33 percent of its incoming freshmen, while OSU and Miami provided grants to 77 percent of each of its students.