With a record number of entering freshmen expected this fall, Eastern Washington University will close the application for admission to new freshmen on Aug. 1. 

Students who already have applied to Eastern or who are waiting for back-up material to complete the application process aren’t affected by this deadline.

“EWU prides itself on providing access to higher education for as many students as possible,” says Stacey Morgan Foster, vice president for student affairs. 

By making the announcement now, she says the university hopes students will complete their application by the August deadline.

The announcement comes as EWU continues to experience unprecedented enrollment numbers. During the fall 2014 quarter, the university brought in 1,598 first-time freshmen, falling just short of the 2005 record of 1,610. EWU expects to break the record this fall.

Administrators also point out that the recent 5 percent tuition reduction approved by state lawmakers for the upcoming year probably will attract more students to EWU, so it’s important for people to be aware of the admission deadline.

Transfer students and returning students may still apply for admission after Aug. 1.

For the Colleges and Universities list published in the April 9 Journal of Business, EWU had a total enrollment of 13,453 full-time equivalent students for the spring 2015 term, including both undergraduate and graduate students. 

At that enrollment, it had more students than any others colleges or universities in the Spokane area, ranking about 1,500 students ahead of Community Colleges of Spokane.