Western Illinois University has enrollment goals of 12,500 students in Macomb and 3,000 students in the Quad Cities.  In Macomb, the number of new freshmen applications increased. The University has been successful at increasing interest (applications).  The number of acceptances and the University’s “show-rate” (ratio of enrollment to acceptances) decreased. As the University actively recruits more freshmen, it will be competing in both the two- and four-year sector. The economics of higher education may be leading more students to start in a community college and transfer to a four-year institution. In Macomb, undergraduate transfer applications, acceptances, and enrollments all increased.

On the Quad Cities Campus, total enrollment increased. The challenge is to increase the campus show-rate. The University should have a strong base to build in the years ahead. Compared to fall 2008, total student enrollment at Eastern Iowa Community College is up 22 percent and total student enrollment at Black Hawk College is up seven percent. These are the two primary “feeder” institutions of the Quad Cities Campus.

Table 1: Total Enrollment in Macomb and Quad Cities
Fall 2005 through Fall 2009
(click on column title to sort)

With New Freshmen Applications, Acceptances, Enrollments, and Show-Rates

With Transfer Applications, Acceptances, Enrollments, and Show-Rates

Show Rates - Students Enrolling After Acceptance Progress

The Enrollment Benchmarking Report presented at the December 18, 2009, Western Illinois University Board of Trustees meeting discusses strategies used by both campuses to increase total student enrollment. Benchmarking and adapting best practices at peer institutions may help to increase the University’s show-rate. In peer institution comparisons, Western ranks second lowest in new freshmen show-rates, eighth (of 15) in transfer student show-rates for the Macomb Campus, and third (of seven) in transfer student show-rates for the Quad Cities Campus.

Table 2: New Freshmen and New Transfer Show-Rates at Western Illinois University and Quad Cities Benchmark Institutions
Fall 2008
(click on column title to sort)

The percent of total minority student enrollment in Macomb and international student enrollment on the Quad Cities Campus both increased. However, as suggested above, the University needs to carefully monitor issues related to price sensitivity. Both campuses also saw decreases in the percent of Pell Grant recipients enrolled at the University.

Table 3: Minority, International, and Pell Grant Recipient Enrollment as a Percent of Total Enrollment
Western Illinois University-Macomb and Quad Cities
Fall 2005 through Fall 2009
(click on column title to sort)

Minority enrollment as a percent of total student enrollment at Western Illinois University-Macomb ranks fifth highest (of 14) among benchmark institutions. Western Illinois University-Quad Cities ranks third lowest among its benchmark institutions. A challenge for all three local higher education institutions in the Quad Cities is to increase minority enrollment.

Table 4: Minority Student Enrollment as a Percent of Total Student Enrollment
Western Illinois University-Macomb and Quad Cities
Fall 2008
(click on column title to sort)

Both the average ACT score and the percent of new freshmen enrolled at the University from the top 25 percent of their high school graduating class increased for the first time in four years. The middle half of the University’s ACT distribution remained constant at 19-23.

Table 5: ACT Score and High School Rank Information: Western Illinois University New Freshmen
Fall 2005 through Fall 2009
(click on column title to sort)

Compared to peer institutions, Western Illinois University ranks 13th (of 16) in average ACT score, and the ACT interquartile range is tied with Sam Houston State University and ranks 12th. The percent of new freshmen at Western from the top 25 percent of their high school graduating class ranks last and is tied with Eastern Illinois University.

Table 6: ACT Score and High School Rank Information: Western Illinois University - Macomb Benchmark Institutions
Fall 2008
(click on column title to sort)

Table 7: Average Western Illinois University Salaries Compared to the Mean of Peer Institutions
Fiscal Years 2005 through 2009
(click on column title to sort)