Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) is welcoming its largest first-year class in more than 30 years, with 608 students enrolled at the start of the fall semester. This is compared to last year’s 471, a 29 percent increase. 4,958 students submitted applications for the fall 2018 semester, up five percent from last year’s 4,708. The increase represents both out-of-state and in-state increases and points to a rise in the university’s global reputation as a leader in technology and innovation. Student deposits also increased this year, with 652 accepted students submitting deposits to Illinois Tech, up 25 percent from last year’s 521. The increase is the result of a strategic recruitment “pull strategy” which focuses on continuously creating and promoting exceptional academic, co-curricular, and student life opportunities that today’s students demand.

“We’ve placed an emphasis on telling the Illinois Tech story through real student experiences,” said Toni Riley, Assistant Vice President of Undergraduate Admission. “Our focus on innovation, design thinking, and a passion for learning has attracted students from 38 states and 29 countries in this year’s class.”

Based in the global metropolis of Chicago, Illinois Tech is the only tech-focused university in the city. It stands at the crossroads of exploration and invention, advancing the future of Chicago and the world. The university’s one-of-a-kind academic programs blaze a path to lifelong opportunity and prosperity, and offer an unmatched return on investment according to Payscale. Illinois Tech graduates lead the state and much of the nation in economic prosperity.

In October, the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship will open in a new two-story building designed by John Ronan Architects. The 70,000-square-foot building will be a one-of-a-kind hub for invention, collaboration, and interdisciplinary work preparing students for the development of meaningful technological innovations that solve complex real-world problems. All undergraduates from every major will take two courses in the Kaplan Institute through the university’s signature IPRO program.