Purdue and Indiana University have record enrollments

Purdue and Indiana University
have record enrollments and it is largely a reflection of the economic downturn according to many analysts. When the economy takes a turn for the worse many head back to grad school to try to find a better job with a boost in their resumes.

Purdue and Indiana universities both have record enrollments topping 40,000 students on their main campuses, and other schools — both state-supported and private — also are reporting enrollment gains possibly driven by the state’s struggling economy.

Purdue enrollment figures for the fall semester released Wednesday show 40,090 registered students on the West Lafayette campus, up from 39,102 a year ago. A large chunk of the increase — 433 students –came from the graduate school, which now enrolls 7,427 students.

John Story, interim dean of the graduate school, said Purdue’s $333 million in sponsored research funding and the sagging economy might account for the increase.

“Graduate enrollment often mimics the economy,” Story said. “When the economy is good, people don’t go to grad school. When times are tough, going to school is a good option.”