• About
  • Advertising
  • History
  • Staff
  • Contact

The Andersonian

The Anderson University Student Newspaper

Anderson University’s Student Newspaper

  • Campus News
  • Audio
  • Features
  • Arts & Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Video
  • COVID-19
You are here: Home / Campus News / First-year enrollment expected to surpass 500 this August


First-year enrollment expected to surpass 500 this August

April 30, 2018 by Nikki Edrington

In the coming fall semester, AU is projecting at least a 23 percent increase in first-year enrollment compared to the 2017-2018 academic year.

Enrollment in August 2017 included 406 first-year students, and according to Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Ryon Kaopuiki, current projections estimate at least 500 new students will take to campus this August.

“Our goal is to get to 550, which is a very aggressive goal—probably unheard of aggressive,” Kaopuiki said. “We’re pushing really hard to get there.”

Realistically, though, Kaopuiki believes numbers will reach at least 500 new students. This will be the largest incoming class for AU in recent history.

“The exciting news is that when you look at published numbers for independent colleges in Indiana, year over year we are outperforming everybody in the state for new student enrollment,” he said.

Increased numbers are largely due to aggressive marketing strategies implemented within the scope of the strategic plan. Kaopuiki believes that “understanding today’s incoming freshmen” and that campus experience is “very important to them” is a major factor as well.

Admissions began accepting the Common Application this year, which has increased the amount of prospective students who are in the scope of the university.

Prospective student campus visits have increased drastically this year as well, both for individuals and groups. Every month since September has produced record numbers of campus visits as far back as 13 years ago. Group visit numbers this year alone have outnumbered the previous two years combined.

All students who visit campus are scheduled to meet with a faculty member while on campus, and Kaopuiki said this has positively influenced enrollment.

“In terms of promoting student experience, our faculty has been incredible in understanding the reality that how a student feels on campus is more important than how strong some of the academic programs are,” he said. “The faculty play an important part on both sides of that, the academic delivery and experience on campus.”

Ultimately, Kaopuiki hopes that campus visits help to “align AU’s story with [prospective students’] stories.” The numbers seem to reflect this hope. Kaopuiki said that, in 2017, students who applied without ever visiting AU had less than a 3 percent chance of matriculating, while those who applied and made a campus visit had a 47 percent chance of enrolling at AU.

“You don’t know what this place is like until you step foot on campus,” he said.

Hoping to get even more students on campus in coming semesters, the university is planning to redesign the school’s website to focus more heavily on mobile traffic. 

He said the website is the “front face of the university,” and it is necessary to update it frequently because “websites are living, breathing things” today.

With an increased student population comes also a need for more campus housing. Kaopuiki said that university leaders have begun the process of sorting through increased housing needs.

“We have plans right now that next summer would involve updating some apartment spaces so we could house more upperclassmen in additional apartments,” he said. Beyond that, though, he said, “We are still trying to understand what our needs will ultimately be and where we need to target.”

Future marketing plans for the university are focused heavily on continuing to improve the college experience for current students.

  “Our student population is a big part of our strategic plan,” he said. “We have such a friendly and welcoming campus community that comes out to people when they visit. When I first came here, I felt like our current students represented a big opportunity for us related to student recruitment. Students go home and talk about their college experience, and they encourage friends to check it out or not to check it out based upon the experience they have. 

“If we can make sure that there is an outstanding student experience, then our students will continue to be part of that experience by the community they engage in and are part of, and they help demonstrate that to guests and prospective students when they are here,” he said.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Campus News, Top Stories

Watch

Jacey Crawford discusses the breaking news that classes will be virtual for the remainder of the semester, beginning Nov. 16.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Jacey Crawford discusses the recent esports win and talks with Dr. Sarah Neal, Lead of AU’s COVID-19 Task Force.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

More Video

Listen

Raven Watch 2020-12-07

On this episode of the Raven Watch Podcast, Jordan is joined by former Big Ten Player of the Year and Indiana Pacer Clark Kellogg as they discuss displaying your faith in sports, Clark’s career as a player and broadcaster and his game of “H.O.R.S.E.” with President Obama.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Raven Watch 2020-12-03

On this episode, Jordan Yaney sits down with senior soccer player Drew Sonnefeldt to discuss his soccer career, trips to Europe, hobbies, and dreams of playing professional soccer

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Raven Watch 2020-09-24

In the third Raven Watch Podcast, Jordan Yaney talks with Hannah Hawkins, a senior basketball player, about starting her freshman year 0-25, becoming more of a leader on the team and facing their one-on-one battle on the court freshman year. Thanks to our sponsor, the Folgate Agency. Please contact Steve Folgate for Allstate insurance and […]

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Raven Watch 2020-09-18

In the second-ever Raven Watch Podcast, Jordan Yaney talks with Kennedy Parker, a senior baseball player, about finding out last season was canceled while the team was in Florida, why he decided to come back for a fifth year and play and what he expects out of this year’s team.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

More Audio

Follow

andersonianAndersonian@andersonian·
16 Jan

Check out these pictures from the Men's Basketball game on Thursday: https://andersonian.smugmug.com/AUMBB-01142021/

Reply on Twitter 1350570022108860423Retweet on Twitter 13505700221088604232Like on Twitter 13505700221088604236Twitter 1350570022108860423
andersonianAndersonian@andersonian·
8 Dec

After several weeks of searching for a new esports head coach, AU has filled the position. Learn more about Head Coach Matthew Burnstedt: https://andersonian.com/2020/12/08/au-hires-new-esports-head-coach/

Reply on Twitter 1336445599244292096Retweet on Twitter 13364455992442920961Like on Twitter 13364455992442920963Twitter 1336445599244292096
Retweet on TwitterAndersonian Retweeted
AURavenWatchRaven Watch@AURavenWatch·
7 Dec

Check out the new Raven Watch Podcast with former @Pacers forward Clark Kellogg (@ClarkKelloggCBS). Tune in as Clark and @jordanyaney discuss faith in sports, his career as a player and broadcaster, and his game of H.O.R.S.E against President Obama.

LINK https://andersonian.com/2020/12/07/raven-watch-2020-12-07/

Reply on Twitter 1336095317591265291Retweet on Twitter 13360953175912652918Like on Twitter 133609531759126529114Twitter 1336095317591265291
Load More...

The Andersonian, the student newspaper of Anderson University, Anderson, Ind., publishes a print edition and maintains this website. As a matter of institutional policy, the University administration does not review or edit Andersonian content prior to publication. The student editors are responsible for both print and online content. While the administration recognizes the role of the student press on a college campus and in journalism education, the views expressed in the Andersonian are not necessarily those of Anderson University.

© Andersonian 2017, All rights reserved · Site by Mere
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.