Jump to Footer

SUNY Plattsburgh Exceeds Enrollment Goals Again in 2013


For the eighth year in a row, SUNY Plattsburgh has had to turn away more applicants than it could accept.

This year, the college accepted 45.5 percent of the first-year students who applied. Officials estimate that around 960 new freshmen are enrolling this semester. The freshman enrollment goal was 925.

Strong in Academics, Service and Extracurricular Activities

Of those expected to enroll, 40 percent are Merit Award winners.

“We are pleased with the quality of this year’s freshman class — not only for its academic achievements but service and extracurricular involvements as well,” said Richard Higgins, associate vice president for enrollment management.

The college’s main and branch campuses are also welcoming a total of around 645 new transfer students. The majority of these come from Clinton Community College, Adirondack Community College, Hudson Valley Community College and North Country Community College.

Most of the college’s new students are New York residents, but 71 of the anticipated students come from states like Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New Hampshire.

Growth in International Students

In addition, officials expect to enroll more than 160 new international students, hailing from a range of countries. This number is up from 106 last year.

Assistant Vice President for Global Education Jackie Vogl noted that, while the number of degree-seeking international students has increased slightly, the big reason for the change is an effort to enroll more visiting students. These students will spend some time studying at the college but do not plan to earn a Plattsburgh degree.

Last year, the college had 12 such students. This year, there are 38, coming from Brazil, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Japan, Laos, Netherlands, Pakistan, South Korea, Tajikistan and Tunisia.

“The geographic diversity of our incoming international student is quite extraordinary,” Vogl said.

Finally, officials expect that the main and branch campus will see a total of 190 new graduate students this semester.

Numbers Part of a Larger Trend

SUNY Plattsburgh President John Ettling said he views the enrollment numbers as part of a larger trend at the college.

“This is just one more piece of evidence that our college is continuing to thrive. We are gaining an international reputation for the work we do, thanks to the efforts of our faculty, staff and students,” he said.

Back to top