CSU flooded with applicants

The California State University system received a record-shattering 609,000 undergraduate applications between in October and November—the two-month priority application period for the fall 2010 semester. That’s a 28 percent increase from last year’s numbers, according to the CSU.

During the final 24 hours alone, the CSU received 73,680 applications through CSUMentor.edu–double the number received in the final 24 hours last year.

The interest in attending the universities is taking place when budget shortages are requiring the 23 campuses in the system to cut enrollment by 40,000 over the next two years. The reductions are in response to an unprecedented $564 million reduction in state allocations.