Sep 19, 2017 2 min read

Enrollment at California University of Pennsylvania rose for the 2017-18 academic year, reversing a five-year trend. The university’s official “census date” head count on Tuesday stands at 7,788, an increase of 3.1 percent compared to fall 2016, a news release stated.

University officials report gains in both undergraduate and graduate students:

• Undergraduate gains were led by a first-time freshman class that is 17.7 percent larger than the 2016 freshman cohort. Despite graduating a large senior class in May, Cal U.’s overall undergraduate enrollment rose by nearly 1 percent.

• The number of new transfer students rose by 12.9 percent compared to fall 2016.

• The head count for graduate students rose by 9.8 percent, bringing it to the highest level in the university’s history.

In all, Cal U.’s 2017-2018 student population includes 5,557 undergraduates and 2,231 graduate students.

University officials credit the enrollment increase to a variety of factors, including career-focused academic programs that appeal to recent high school graduates, nontraditional students and working adults.

“We’ve made changes beginning with our initial outreach to prospective students and continuing through every step of the admissions and financial aid awarding process,” said Dr. Bruce Barnhart, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “But we don’t stop there. We keep in close touch with students throughout their college experience and provide the support they need on their way to earning a degree.”