Fall enrollment at Northern Illinois University is up 4.3% from last year. Total enrollment at the university is now just over 16,000 students.
New freshmen were the biggest source of growth with a 22% increase from last fall. The university says this year's is one of the largest freshmen classes in a decade.
Re-enrollment — keeping students already enrolled — is another major factor. NIU says this year's combined re-enrollment rate -- factoring in new freshmen, transfers, and continuing students -- is the highest in the over 25 years they've tracked it.
Enrollment at NIU's Law School also reached a record high.
Despite the growth, total enrollment at the university is still down 4% over the past five years and 20% over the past decade.
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