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NIU Enrollment Down, Retention Up

The number of students enrolled at Northern Illinois University has dipped slightly, but retention rates are improving. The university reported an enrollment of 20,130 students, a decrease of about 2.3 percent from last year. NIU President Doug Baker says: "We are not where we want to be, but there are encouraging signs of progress." The one-year retention rate for last year's freshmen increased 1 percentage point, to 72 percent. Baker says the university also has been recruiting higher-achieving students. He says this year's freshman class has better numbers on all key indicators, including grade point average, ACT score and class rank. NIU also has seen a marked increase in international student enrollment.

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