Fresno State’s popularity is clearly evident this month as applications from new students go through the roof.

With the Nov. 30 admissions application looming for fall 2010, the California State University is making a strong push to ensure that prospective students are aware of the limitations in accessing higher education due to the state budget crisis.

That has resulted in Fresno State being the No. 1 campus in the 23-campus system in percentage increase in transfer applications and No. 2 in percentage increase in freshman applications.

Students should be aware of two things, Fresno State admissions officials said:

· The Nov. 30 deadline for fall 2010 applications.

· Campus offices will be closed Nov. 25-30 for furlough days and the Thanksgiving holiday. Any inquiries should be submitted before Nov. 25.

Fresno State anticipates it will close enrollment for the spring 2011 semester, as it has done for spring 2010.

In a media teleconference today, CSU Chancellor Charles Reed reported a surge in applications system-wide: a 32 percent first-time freshman application increase and a 127 percent increase for transfers.

Fresno State has 60 percent more first-time freshman applications (6,781 as of Nov. 5), and 300 percent more transfers applying (2,774), reports Bernard Vinovrski, associate vice president of Enrollment Services.

“Our Outreach counselors, along with high school and transfer counselors, have been stressing early applications,” Vinovrski explained. “Outreach’s efforts provide this valuable service to students who get assistance when our college ambassadors do application workshops at area high schools.”

And he noted that the application process is easier for students because it’s online and simple.

Vinovrski expects about 1,200 fewer first-time freshmen to be admitted for the fall 2010 semester than this semester.

But local students – the four-county service area of Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulare counties – and students from out-of-area schools that have traditionally supplied high numbers, will still get priority.

“We are now starting to admit all local and traditional feeder schools so students should be hearing from us in the coming days,” Vinovrski said. But students form outside the area will not get an answer until December or January, he added. The out-of-area students are ranked by GPA, SAT scores and eligibility index.