The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse confirmed Tuesday they
have received a record number of applications to attend the university for fall
2008.

UWL has taken roughly 700 applications more than it did last
year. The university denied about 2,000 applicants this year, accepting a class
of about 1,700 beginning next fall.

Cary Heyer, director of university relations for UWL, said
even if the Office of Admissions says the freshman class for 2008 is full, the
university does not shut the door on applicants.

“We are acutely aware that there are special situations
where we need to admit more students,” Heyer said. “Sometimes a
student has a special quality or talent that we think will be beneficial to our
campus.”

UW-Madison has also reached record numbers of received
applications. According to Associate Director of Admissions Tom Reason,
UW-Madison is approaching 26,000 applications, which is up about 700 from last
year.

UW-Madison wants to enroll a class of about 5,700 this fall
after over-enrolling for the 2007-08 freshman class by about 3,000 students,
Reason said. He said the increase in applications this year has made it a more
challenging year both for students and for the Admissions Office.

Heyer attributes the increase in applications this year to
the quality of UWL.

“It illustrates that UWL is an exceptional
school,” Heyer said. “We weren’t at this position even five years
ago. The number of applications is growing, and it shows that students want to
come here.”

The demographics of high school graduates are expected to
change over the next few years while the number of high school graduates in
Wisconsin is expected to decline, according to a study released by the Western
Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

But UWL is confident the number of applicants will remain
strong, Heyer said. UWL recently adopted a Growth, Quality and Access Agenda
that allows them to redirect state funding toward increased financial aid for
students rather than toward faculty and staff. Heyer said this agenda allows
the university to increase the enrollment numbers over the next few years.