AMERICUS  — Early returns show that Georgia Southwestern State University’s Fall 2016 enrollment has increased by 5.9 percent (169 students) from the enrollment this time in Fall 2015 (2,870). As of today, Georgia Southwestern’s total stands at 3,039 students – 2,635 undergraduate students and 404 graduate students.
“The growth we are experiencing is a testament to the planned visioning by the University and members of the community to become a destination campus for students,” said GSW Interim President Charles Patterson, Ph.D. “We are on the cusp of a transformation for Georgia Southwestern, and we’ll see the University’s growth continue in years to come.”
Much of the increase can be attributed to Southwestern’s participation in the out-of-state tuition waiver program for students from Alabama, Florida and South Carolina; growth in dual enrollment through the state’s “Move On When Ready” program; a 21 percent increase in graduate enrollment; a 24 percent increase in new freshman; and a total cost that makes Georgia Southwestern one of the most affordable universities in the state.
“More students are making Southwestern their first college choice than ever before,” said Gaye Hayes, Ph.D., vice president for Enrollment Management. “We are hearing from our students that personal attention with amenities that you find at a large campus are just what they are looking for. Additionally, Southwestern is focused on offering relevant graduate programs that are in high demand in Georgia.”
This is the second consecutive year that Georgia Southwestern has seen growth in its graduate programs. In particular, the family nurse practitioner master of science in nursing has increased by 54 percent in only its second year, with a 40-student cohort.
The final count for Fall 2016 enrollment will be published by the University System of Georgia later this semester.
For more information, call (229) 931-2037 or email stephen.snyder@gsw.edu.