Penn State Behrend Set to Welcome Largest Freshman Class Ever
The word is out, and more high school seniors are electing to come to Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, than ever before. Penn State Behrend anticipates a first-year class of more than 1,000 students this fall.
“There are a host of factors that, collectively, contribute to this increase—the strength of our faculty, the quality programs we offer, myriad student services, scholarship opportunities, and the beauty of our campus, among others,” said Mary-Ellen Madigan, director of admissions. “We continually invest in delivering a quality education and prospective students recognize that.”
Applications for fall 2006 were up 15 percent, and the number of students who have committed to Penn State Behrend is 21 percent higher than it was at this time last year. University-wide, Penn State received a whopping 91,598 applications for admission to undergraduate, graduate and other programs—believed to be the greatest of any university nationwide.
The quality of applicants at Penn State Behrend also continues to rise, as does the diversity of the student body. “Commitments from female students are up 35 percent, and we’ve also seen a big increase in commitments from African-American students, out-of-state students, and transfers from other colleges and universities,” Madigan said. Additionally, offers of admission to the rigorous Penn State Behrend Honors Program are up 21 percent versus last year.
Thanks to increases in Penn State Behrend endowments, more scholarship monies are available as well. “Our students now receive $2 million in total scholarships, including $800,000 from Penn State Behrend funds, and that makes us more attractive, too,” Madigan added.
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, offers 31 baccalaureate, five associate, four pre-professional and two graduate degree programs with 21 minors to more than 3,700 students. Focused on providing a student-centered environment, Penn State Behrend is the link that connects its students to a major research and land-grant institution on a campus enriched by more than 90 clubs and organizations, 21 NCAA varsity teams, 19 intramural sports and modern facilities, including the completion of the $30 million Research and Economic Development Center (REDC) this fall.