WKU’s newest batch of freshmen is slated to be very different from classes of the past. 

The freshman class of 2014 is one of the largest classes that WKU has seen in past years, said Brian Meredith, chief enrollment and graduation officer. 

Meredith said the diverse class includes students from the United States and other countries. 

The overall ACT score of the class is 23.5, up from 22.8 last fall. The class’ college readiness needs aren’t as large as some needs have been in the past, Meredith said.

 In terms of recruiting this class of students, Student Affairs has had a very deliberate communication plan, 

which they made for prospective students and parents, Meredith said. 

This plan is preparing them for customer relationship management, which will help them manage all communications; electronic, paper, snail mail and more, he said. 

Meredith said other facets of WKU, such as the Honors College and the Study Abroad programs, are used in the recruiting process.

“It’s an easy sell,” Meredith said. “It’s just getting out there in front of those families, wherever they may be.”

All scholarship categories offered at WKU are up, Meredith said.

“WKU is up in awards well over 40 percent,” he said. “This means that one, students are paying attention, and two, they are accepting the scholarships and seeing value in the WKU product.”