Bowling Green State University enrollment continues to grow

More than 3,900 new freshmen welcomed to campuses this fall

Bucking a national trend of declining enrollment, Bowling Green State University’s https://www.bgsu.edu/ enrollment for the fall 2019 semester is up nearly 2 percent over last fall, exceeding the University’s goals. BGSU welcomed more than 3,900 new freshmen to its campuses this fall.

Total student enrollment for fall 2019 is 19,905, up from 19,540 in 2018. These numbers are released every semester on the 15th day of classes, which marks official enrollment counts that are reported to the state of Ohio.

The Class of 2023 is the most academically prepared group of new students for the seventh consecutive year with the highest grade point average in University history at more than 3.5. The University’s Honors College welcomed its largest freshman class in history with more than 350 students enrolled, a 19 percent increase over 2018. These students average a 4.07 grade-point average, SAT scores of 1303 and ACT scores of 28.8.

Additionally, the number of top scholars in this fall’s freshman class increased by 14 percent over last year. Top scholars are those with an ACT score of 27 or higher and a GPA above 3.7.

“As a public university for the public good, we strive to recruit students who can be successful at BGSU and prepare them to lead meaningful and productive lives,” BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers said. “This year’s freshman class is not only the most academically prepared group but represents 75 counties in Ohio, 30 states and 43 countries. I look forward to their success.”

Undergraduate enrollment on the main campus for fall 2019 is up 1.6 percent over last year with a headcount of 15,104 compared to 14,861 in fall 2018.

BGSU Firelands saw a significant enrollment increase of 8.7 percent, from 1,997 in fall 2018 to 2,171 in fall 2019.

While total graduate enrollment declined slightly from 2,682 last fall to 2,630 this year, there were continued increases in the number of eCampus and distance learning graduate students.

“We are pleased to see the continued growth,” said Cecilia Castellano, vice president for enrollment management. “Our primary focus is on investing in academic programs that give options to all students who seek a BGSU degree. As we continue to support our traditional freshmen and expand opportunities through our college pathway programs, we’re turning our attention to transfer student and adult learners by expanding online choices to make a BGSU education attainable for all degree seekers.”