Incoming freshmen encouraged to get involved

More than 5,000 students visit NDSU each year, and some of them will call it home next fall.

It is too early for the Office of Admissions to know how many students will call NDSU home next fall. Enrollment fluctuates constantly until closer to the start of the semester, Jobey Lichtblau, the director of admissions, said.

In Fall 2011, there were 4,024 full time students enrolled between the ages of 18 and 19 years old, according to a report by the North Dakota University System enrollment summary.

“Over 5,000 students come through our door every year, that’s just students for visits,” Lichtblau said.

Lichtblau says the three main reasons students choose NDSU are the academic programs and their reputation, the perfect size of the campus and the reasonable cost compared to other universities that NDSU is compared to.

“I love that even though NDSU has thousands of students, it feels small and more close-knit every day,” Molly Schultz, a freshman majoring in biological sciences, said. “We have an amazing group of student leaders that ensure that every new student can feel at home.”
Lichtblau says incoming freshmen can be more successful in their new home if they take advantage of student activities and get involved on campus.

“There are so many opportunities for students to get involved, “ Lichtblau, who has worked at NDSU for 17 years, said. “Yes, you learn in the classroom, but you also learn valuable skills outside the classroom.”
Lichtblau also says one of the main reasons to get involved is to meet new people. Schultz says she wished she had introduced herself to more students in her apartment building and dining center.

“Incoming freshmen should definitely take the initiative to meet new people right away; you never know when you can meet your new best friend,” Schultz said.

According to Lichtblau, another way to get involved on campus is to talk to professors and ask for additional help when coursework is confusing.

He says that asking for help in college is common, even if it isn’t in high school.

“Never be afraid to ask for help,” Lichtblau said. “I can guarantee you that if you ask for help, you are going to receive it, but if you wait for that second test it’s going to be too late.”

Schultz says incoming freshman can look forward to new opportunities.

“Keep your eyes and ears open at all times for new opportunities,” Schultz said. “Never say no to an invite, no matter how bizarre the event may seem. A random 2 a.m. snowball fight could end up being one of your fondest memories from freshman year.”

The Office of Admissions is encouraging a new focus next fall. They stress to incoming freshman that fulltime status is 15 credits if they want to graduate in four years.

“We want to focus on student’s graduating on time, graduating in four years,” Lichtbalu said.

Lichtblau says the increase in fulltime status does not affect tuition, which will not be increased next fall. Fulltime status for students remains 12 credits, and the tuition cap will remain at 12 credits.