NAU enrollment to break all-time records

It’s shaping up to be another record enrollment year at Northern Arizona University.

A preliminary look at the university’s fall enrollment figures shows a healthy increase over last year’s total enrollment of 22,507, which includes students at the Flagstaff campus, online and at extended campuses throughout Arizona.

An increase in total enrollment would continue the trend of record-breaking enrollments at NAU over the last four years. Analysts are predicting total enrollment will top 23,000 students.

“Clearly our residential environment, coupled with smaller class sizes and quality of instruction, is a draw for students seeking a solid education for a good value,” said NAU President John Haeger. “This is what sets NAU apart from other institutions; it’s the difference that matters to our students.”

Though the numbers are not yet final, as of Aug. 18 the Flagstaff campus is showing enrollment increases at all class levels and in all ethnic categories, as well as an overall increase in students. NAU also expects a record number of international students to enroll, which includes more than 300 new students from 60 countries who have already registered.

“We are prepared to welcome more than 3,500 new freshmen to campus, making this the largest freshman year class in NAU’s history,” said David Bousquet, vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. “We also expect to break our all-time Flagstaff campus enrollment record, which was 15,413 in 1995.”

He credited programs like NAU’s Tuition Pledge for helping address the issue of affordability. The program offers new undergraduates eight semesters of locked-in tuition, providing students predictability in their education costs.

"NAU is the only school in the state’s tri-university system that makes such a promise to its students,” Bousquet said.

Official enrollment numbers will be available the week of Sept. 14, when the three universities will release their figures for the
“21-day count.”