STATESBORO — For the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Georgia Southern University as one of the top national universities that students want to attend.
This past week, the magazine looked at the yield rate, which is determined by the number of first-year students who enrolled after being accepted. For fall 2012, 5,456 students were accepted by Georgia Southern, and 3,542 enrolled. The university’s yield rate was 64.9 percent – besting Yale University, MIT and others. Georgia Southern is the only university from the southeastern United States in the top 10.
“I think people are starting to take notice,” said Georgia Southern President Brooks Keel. “Georgia Southern is changing, it is growing and more and more students are making it their top choice for their college education.”
“I really do think people, particularly parents and alumni who may not have visited campus in a long time, are surprised when they see how much has changed,” Keel continued. “Georgia Southern has undergone an incredible transformation not only physically with numerous new buildings, but academically as well. When you combine that with living in Statesboro, one of the truly iconic, main-street college towns in this country, it is a really attractive choice for students. I tell parents all the time to just visit. If they do, they and their son or daughter are sold.”
As more students enroll, Georgia Southern continues to attract some of the best and brightest students. The 2012 freshman class had an average SAT score of 1,115 for math and reading — a new record high for GSU. Georgia Southern also set an enrollment record this past fall with 20,574 students – hailing from 49 states and 93 countries.
What’s attracting record numbers of outstanding students? University officials believe it is the unique combination of opportunity and atmosphere. Students have the opportunity to pursue degrees in a wide range of popular programs ranging from business and information technology to healthcare and education. In 2011, Georgia Southern began offering bachelor’s degrees in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering through its newly established Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Information Technology — one of the nation’s newest engineering schools.
The resulting record enrollment and growing popularity of Georgia Southern are not only being felt on campus, but are driving factors in the region’s economy, too. Last year, GSU had an economic impact of $846 million supporting more than 8,000 jobs in the region.
