Increase in applications, California budget crisis cause University to establish early deadline

SAN FRANCISCO, December 22, 2003-- San Francisco State University has set fall 2004 undergraduate application deadlines of Jan. 16, 2004, for prospective first-time freshmen and Feb. 16, 2004, for prospective transfer students.

The University will not accept applications from those seeking fall 2004 admission as lower-division (less than 56 transferable semester units) transfer students or from students seeking a second bachelor’s degree.

SFSU established the early deadlines due to a significant increase in applications received and the uncertainty of the University’s budget relating to California’s fiscal crisis. This ensures that SFSU does not admit more students than it can adequately serve, said Jo Volkert, associate vice president for enrollment planning and management.

"We need to take steps to limit the number of admissions so that we can provide enough classes for those who are admitted and choose to enroll here," she said.

SFSU’s enrollment was 29,686 this fall, an increase of 4 percent from fall 2002 and the University’s largest ever.

The University has received more than 24,000 applications for fall 2004 -- nearly a 29 percent increase over last year at this time -- and already received more first-time freshmen applications than it received for all of fall 2003, when the application deadline was May 1 for all prospective undergraduates. More than 500 applications continue to arrive every week.

Volkert said many institutions are experiencing significant increases in applications submitted because the population of students graduating from high schools is growing and will continue to increase through 2008.

To receive a quick admissions decision, prospective students are encouraged to apply online at: www.csumentor.edu. Online applications must be completed and submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, for first-time freshmen and 11:59 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, 2004, for transfer students.