The Winona State University Office of Admissions is pleased to announce it has met its target for freshman applications for fall 2008 and has initiated a more selective process for considering freshman applications on the Winona campus, effective March 21, 2008.

WSU continues working with the transfer student population for both the Winona and Rochester campuses and will process transfer student applications through July 15, 2008.

Carl Stange, WSU Director of Admissions, said freshmen still seeking to be admitted for fall 2008 will be considered based on academic talent, and ability to contribute to the university community and to specific academic programs.

"Winona State is a selective institution to begin with," Stange said. "Because we are fortunate to be in great demand, we must be more selective with our admission processes.”

This year WSU has processed a record number of applications. As of March 15, the university has processed 5,915 applications, an almost 12 percent increase from 2007 applications at this time last year. WSU has also already admitted 4,371 applicants, 62 more applicants than this time last year.

Freshmen still seeking to be admitted for fall 2008 will be considered based on academic ability, academic interests and accomplishments, and talents, as well as what they can contribute to the university community. WSU is especially interested in attracting students who have a deep commitment to community service.

Stange said WSU is in high demand because of excellent faculty, small class sizes, the university's leadership in applying new technology to higher education, its well-established reputation for providing high quality education, and a beautiful campus.

WSU also continues to be recognized for excellence in national college rankings. The university is a "top tier institution" among Midwestern universities, as ranked by US News and World Report, and is a "Best Midwestern College," as ranked by the Princeton Review.

For the twelfth year in a row, WSU was named one of America's 100 Best College Buys in a national report that measures institutional value relative to quality of education, cost, financial aid, and campus housing.

"Winona State University's excellent reputation and continually increasing demand are good for the university," Stange continued. "But it requires us to be even more vigilant to be sure that we are making the most of the resources entrusted to us and that we are providing exceptional value to our students.

“We’re excited that after 150 years of serving the higher education needs of southeastern Minnesota, we continue to meet our capacity and attract talented students as we prepare a community of learners to join our communities and the world,” Stange said.

WSU is already working with current high school juniors who are planning to enroll in fall 2009. The WSU Admissions Office invites members of the Class of 2009 to begin planning a campus visit soon. WSU tours are available every weekday at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The Admissions Office is closed for tours May 5-7, May 12-16 and June 16-20.

Founded in 1858, Winona State University is a comprehensive, regional public university with more than 8,000 students. The oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, WSU offers more than 80 undergraduate, pre-professional, licensure, graduate and doctorate programs on its three campuses: the original Main Campus in Winona, the West Campus in Winona, and Winona State University-Rochester. This year WSU celebrates 150 years as a community of learners improving our world.

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