More students applying to UPEI for 2011-12 year
High school students are raring to study at the University of Prince Edward Island according to current application statistics-confirming the importance students place on a post-secondary education offered by the Island's only university.
As of March 29, UPEI had received 4.3 percent more applications from Canadian high school students, and 7 per cent more applications from PEI high school students, compared with the same date last year. In total, of 15 public and private schools on PEI, 735 Island high school students-versus 687 last year-have already applied to UPEI.
UPEI's Vice-President Academic Jim Randall says, 'We have been following recent reports that indicate university enrolment in Canada has reached record levels and are encouraged that students are continuing to look to UPEI to meet their post-secondary education goals. We now need to keep working to make UPEI the university of choice for these applicants. I am confident that the growing reputation of UPEI, both in terms of quality of instruction and greatly expanded program choices, will continue to make the difference for these students.'
Even more significant than provincial applications are those coming out of Ontario showing that 33% more high school students have applied to study at UPEI as compared with last year. This follows a rising trend in Ontario-in a report released in January by the Ontario Universities Application Centre, it indicated a 2.2 per cent increase in Ontario university applications, even after the double cohort years when there were Ontario high school graduates from both grades 12 and 13.
'Although the number of high school graduates in PEI is expected to drop in the coming years, experts predict overall enrolment numbers to continue to rise across the country as students of all ages recognize the numerous career and social benefits a university degree offers,' Randall added. 'With the rise in applications, especially from PEI and Ontario, we are focusing recruitment and conversion efforts to continue this trend into future years for UPEI.'
