This fall Humboldt State’s student population rose to 7,800, up from 7,781 in 2007—both years a considerable increase from a perennial average of around 7,300 students. What’s more, many of those students are coming from out-of-state and even out-of-country.
According to a survey conducted by an academic journal that looks at enrollment trends, the average college student travels between 30 and 100 miles to attend college. Students coming to Humboldt State from the Bay Area are faced with a 280 mile trip home. Students from Southern California face an even longer journey.
Scott Hagg, director of Admissions, reports that HSU is a leading destination school in the Western University Exchange (WUE) program, which offers reduced out-of-state fees for new students from 14 participating western states.
For many of the 238 students participating in WUE, the financial advantage is a major reason to attend HSU. A recent study reported by the New York Times notes the current cost of attending a public four-year university is averaging $6,585 per academic year. Meanwhile, an in-state undergraduate will pay $4,150 to attend HSU, while a student participating in the WUE program will spend $5,229.
Saving cash is one thing, but educational experience and making a home among the redwoods is another. Typically, the quality of HSU’s academics are what first get students interested, and it’s not unusual for the University’s reputation to stretch around the globe. Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth, an Admissions counselor at Humboldt State, recently shared the story of an international student interested in HSU.
“I spoke with a student who graduated two years ago from a high school in New Zealand. Now he’s at a university there and wants to study wildlife. So he talked to his professors about it and their response was ‘you’re a fine student and we’d love to have you here, but if you want to study wildlife, you need to head to Arcata, California.’”
A record 99 international students have enrolled at Humboldt State this year. According to Karynn Merkel, of the International Programs Office, students from abroad often cite similar reasons for choosing HSU out of nearly 2,000 degree granting institutions in the United States. “International students are drawn to HSU by the open-minded, friendly community; the safety to be enjoyed in this small yet vibrant urban area; the supportive International Programs Office staff; and the gorgeous location. As Jiniva, one of our students from Panama recently stated, ‘I don’t want to leave!’”
A Journey Worth Making
Kale Roberts, an Environmental Science major expecting to graduate in 2009, hails from Kirksville, Mo. According to Roberts, he made the 2,000 mile journey to HSU to find a university and town more congruent with his core beliefs.
“I wanted to study ecology and the environment in a place that offered more natural and cultural diversity, and I wanted to be in a place where I could have access to healthy, whole foods and a vibrant art and music scene. After a lot of research HSU seemed like the perfect fit,” said Roberts.
Kevin Whitesides, a Religious Studies major from Charlotte, N.C., shared similar sentiments about choosing HSU.
“When I was considering which college to attend, location was a key factor. Humboldt appeared to offer what seemed like the most beautiful spot in the state. The atmosphere of HSU is simultaneously peacefully contemplative and academically rigorous, a combination that provides for great mental balance when dealing with the rigors of university life.”
Hitchcock-Tinseth, who, in addition to counseling incoming students and their parents, is also an HSU alum, fields never-ending questions about Humboldt State. One of the consistent reasons she hears that people choose to come to HSU is the unique sense of community Arcata and HSU offer.
“Just today I talked to mothers from Missouri, Alaska and Wisconsin. What they heard about HSU is that we offer tons of opportunities for hands-on experience and a great environment for learning. But what really clinches the deal is the sense of community here—the idea that their son or daughter will be able to come here and join in a truly vibrant and wonderful community,” Hitchcock-Tinseth said.
“Plus, their students will have better opportunities to study directly with professors versus a college in their home state or even elsewhere in California,” she added.