For the second straight year, Iowa State has broken enrollment records.

This fall, 27,823 students are attending Iowa State – an increase of nearly 1,000 students from last year, according to figures released by the university last week.

Iowa State welcomed the largest class of first-year students in university history – 4,654 students – including a record-breaking 410 minority first-year students this fall.

“Retention rates are up significantly,” said David Bousquet, assistant vice president for enrollment. “Faculty are very committed to student success, and they extend themselves far more than those from other institutions may.”

Several officials said there are several reasons behind Iowa State’s increasing retention rates.

“Learning communities have really proven to retain first-year students better into their second year at a significantly higher rate,” said Howard Shapiro, vice-provost for undergraduate programs.

This is the third year learning communities have been a part of Iowa State. More than 1,800 students are participating in about 40 different learning communities this year.

Peer mentors, targeted programs for minority students and supplemental instruction also have played a role in retaining students, Shapiro said.

“We’ve had great success in SI – we really know that those students get better grades. [Students] all do better if they participate,” Shapiro said. “There are more active-learning techniques being implemented and more community being created in majors and departments.”

Recruitment has played a major role in attracting Iowa State’s nearly 2,000 minority students, said Marc Harding, director of admissions.

“Diversity is important to all parts of the university,” he said. “It takes a village to recruit a class.”

The tuition increase proposed by the Board of Regents “has the potential to [affect enrollment figures for next fall],” Harding said. “But we have to remember that tuition is increasing all around us as well. It’s all relative.”

But the increase won’t deter too many potential students, he said.

“I think that people look at Iowa State and still recognize that it’s a good value,” Harding said.