By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Stanislaus State draws in record number of applicants for Fall 2016
CSU enrollment pic
Stanislaus State received a record number of applicants for Fall 2016, including 7,537 first-time freshmen and 3,578 transfer students, an increase of 8.1 and 11.5 percent, respectively. - photo by Journal file photo

As the number of prospective students who submit applications to Stanislaus State continues to rise, one thing is for sure: the local university is likely not considered the hidden gem of the California State University system anymore.

“The numbers underscore what we see in the community and on high school campuses: Stanislaus State is not only the region’s university, but an excellent choice for anyone interested in an array of disciplines,” said Associated Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Tim Lynch. “We are no longer the best-kept secret among CSU campuses.”

A total of 7,537 prospective first-time freshmen submitted an application for Fall 2016, 564 more applications than Fall 2015, or an 8.1 percent increase. Fall 2016 marks the latest consecutive year of increased applications, which have steadily grown over the past decade.

The number of transfers that submitted an application to Stanislaus State totaled 3,578 for Fall 2016, which was also an increase from last year by nearly 400 applications, or 11.5 percent. Although the number of prospective-first time freshmen applications has continued to rise, the number of transfers has fluctuated over the past several years with 3,184 applications in Fall 2010, 3,678 applications in Fall 2011, 3,216 applications in Fall 2012, 3,419 applications in Fall 2013, and 3,039 applications in Fall 2014.

The increased number of applications seen at Stanislaus State was reflected throughout all 23 college campuses as the CSU also received a record number of applications for fall enrollment for the sixth consecutive year.

More than 83,000 applications were submitted by prospective students for Fall 2016, a 4.8 percent increase and more than 40,000 applications over last year’s total. This unprecedented number of applications to the CSU reflects the growth in demand for high-quality public higher education in California.

“The CSU does much of the heavy lifting required to build an educated workforce in California and it’s something that we’re incredibly honored to be proud of,” said CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White.

In addition to the overall rise in applications, the CSU has seen a 27 percent increase in applications from African American students and a 26 percent increase from Latino students.

While the demand for a CSU education is at an all-time high, capacity issues persist due to state funding limitations. For the 2016-17 academic year, Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal allocates an additional $139.4 million investment in the CSU, which will fund a 1 percent net student enrollment growth.

In order for the university to continue to address the anticipated shortage of bachelor’s degrees in California by 2030, a 3 percent net student enrollment growth is needed, requiring an additional $102.3 million in state funding. Full funding of CSU's proposed Support Budget Request would allow the university to enroll approximately 12,600 additional students.