Enrollment statistics find higher ACT scores, GPAs

The quality of students in this year’s freshman class is better than most, according to the university’s official enrollment report.

“We’ve had larger freshman classes, but the quality of this freshman class is higher,” said Mike Sperko, institutional data and information director. “We feel we’re bringing in a better quality student.”

Sperko said that the freshmen enrolled at the Kent campus have an average ACT score of 21.94, compared with 21.73 from last year’s freshman class. A higher percentage of students have a high school GPA of 3.0 or more.

Overall, the enrollment at the Kent campus has increased 1.01 percent, or 225 students. Enrollment at all eight campuses is up 1.04 percent, or 355 students.

Sperko said the university expected enrollment to increase for a few reasons.

“We’ve had a tuition freeze for the last two years, the Pell Grant increased, the government increased the amount students can borrow and scholarship allocation has increased,” Sperko said.

Sperko said the Pell Grant increased several hundred dollars in comparison to last year. He also said that the scholarship allocation increased to more than two million dollars.

Fifteenth day statistics are official enrollment numbers required nationwide. The statistics are compiled on the 15th day because that’s when “a student’s schedule would be stable,” Sperko said.

The money given to a university by the state is partially driven by enrollment. Kent State’s enrollment is the third largest in the state, and Sperko said Kent State is relatively close in numbers to the University of Cincinnati.

Contact student affairs reporter Ashten Haswell at [email protected].