Not only has Iowa State set a record enrollment of 36,001 students this year, but the university has also become the top choice for Iowa’s high school graduates and community college transfer students, beating out the University of Iowa and University of Northern Iowa.

Katharine Johnson Suski, director of admissions, said Iowa students base their choices on academic programs and college experiences.

“There’s more to [the academics], there’s the being a student aspect,” Suski said. “It’s hard to quantify, it’s hard to explain, but people check up on you, and there are a lot of activities for students and a lot of support networks for students on campus.”

Not only do the students come for the high-demand programs that Iowa State has to offer and the positive experience it promotes, they are staying because they are getting it.

“We have an 87-percent retention rate from freshman to senior year,” Suski said.

Iowa State starts reaching out to Iowa students at a young age. It visits students as early as middle school to try and fit the idea of going to college into their future.

“The message is a little different with middle schoolers,” Suski said. “Our focus with middle schoolers is to get them thinking about going to college, to get that expectation in their mind that they will go to a college or university.”

Iowa State focuses its recruitment mostly on high school and community college transfer students. By going to college fairs, inviting students to visit campus and mailing them information about Iowa State, the university tries to send a positive message about Iowa State.

Linda Cline, youth coordinator for the Webster county extension office, said that the 4-H Youth Development Program really makes a lasting impression for eighth through 12-grade students.

The 4-H Youth Development Program brings roughly 1,000 middle and high school students to campus during the course of a few nights for a conference in livestock and agriculture.

“The students love it because they really get the feel of college and to experience campus life,” Cline said. “They get to see buildings they could potentially have class in, live the dorm life and see the food that’s available for them to eat.”

Caitlyn Ryan, marketing and communications coordinator for the Dallas, Warren and Madison county extension offices, said the 4-H program is really the student’s and the citizen’s first touch with Iowa State. It also makes students aware of the science, technology, engineering and math programs that Iowa State has to offer.

“It interests kids, and it takes them a step closer to their interests,” Ryan said.

The Iowa State extension offices are focused on making ISU resources, like research and information the university has found, more available to citizens in their communities. Recruitment for the university is a little more indirect through those resources.

“It’s more interaction-based than it is strict recruitment,” Ryan said.

Suski said that although the campus visits are positive, the youth programs are fun and the academic programs are strong. The ability to communicate and respond to potential students sets Iowa State apart from the other regents.

“We work really hard at responding to students and making the application process easier for students,” she said. “We want to make sure students are prepared to come in the fall. We want to take care of them throughout the entire [admissions] process.”

Overall, students are coming to Iowa State because they like the university — not just because the recruitment efforts convinced them.

“We haven’t made huge changes to our recruitment process,” Suski said. “There is a focus on student success.”