BEMIDJI, Minn. (October 14, 2009) — Reflecting a trend of higher enrollment across its 32-school system, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities reported a six-percent enrollment increase for Bemidji State University on its report of the 30th-day enrollment numbers, released Monday, Oct. 5.

The system reported Bemidji State’s 30th-day head count at 5,171, an increase of 6.1 percent over the 30th day of classes in Fall 2008 when the University had 4,876 students. Bemidji State’s 6.1-percent increase was the highest amongst the system’s seven four-year universities, while its head-count increase of 295 students ranked fourth.

Overall, head count enrollment in the system’s seven universities on the 30th day of classes was up 3.3 percent, to 68,076 students.

BSU’s enrollment number could fluctuate throughout the year as students enroll for distance learning options.

Credit generation, which plays a more-critical role in the University’s budget than headcount, shows an increase nearly mirroring that of head-count enrollment. Bemidji State’s 30th-day overall credit load was 62,924 credits, a 6.8-percent increase from a year ago.

New students helped fuel the increase in credit generation. Bemidji State’s 808-member class of new incoming freshmen account for 4.3 percent more credits than last year, while transfers (13.8 percent) and PSEO high-school students (25.9 percent) also saw large increases amongst new students. In total, Bemidji State’s undergraduate population is generating 7.2 percent more credits than in 2008, while graduate students are seeing a 5.6-percent increase.

Enrollment at the system’s 25 two-year colleges was up nearly nine percent to just under 131,000 students. Overall enrollment in the system was up 6.8 percent to 198,791 students.