Illinois Wesleyan University's incoming cohort totals 502 new first-year and transfer students joining the student body this fall. That's slightly higher than last year’s enrollment, holding onto a five-year high for new enrollment at the Bloomington liberal arts college.
Nearly one-third of new students are the first in their family to attend college, while 11% are referred to as legacy students whose family members attended IWU. Nearly half are student-athletes. The group also is more diverse than the rest of the student body, with 32% self identifying as students of color and 40% representing a minority demographic including race and sexual orientation.
University-wide, students of color comprised 26% of the student body last year.
The new cohort includes 19 international students representing 19 countries. Domestic students hail from 24 states.
Illinois State University’s enrollment also is trending up, with the university’s largest incoming class on record coming to campus this fall.
Direct admission program
Statewide, Illinois sees the second-highest rate of out migration in the United States, surpassed only by New Jersey in the number of high school graduates leaving the state for college. A new program at Illinois Wesleyan has made it easier for Bloomington-Normal's high schoolers to stay close to home.
In a news release, the university said last year’s pilot program granting direct admission to graduating seniors doubled the number of Bloomington High School students who enrolled in IWU.
On Sept. 16, the program will expand to five area high schools, guaranteeing a spots for eligible students from Normal Community, Normal West, Bloomington, University and Central Catholic High Schools. The program allows Bloomington-Normal students to skip the traditional paperwork and work with their high school counselors to seek admission.
IWU additionally accepts the Common App, a universal application allowing students to easily apply to multiple schools. Standardized test scores have been optional since the COVID-19 pandemic.
McLean County residents from any school also are eligible for $34,000 scholarships to attend IWU, funded by a collective of donors called the Illinois Wesleyan Associates.
