Iowa’s public universities report larger freshman classes

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IOWA CITY — All three of Iowa’s public universities this fall are reporting larger freshman classes than last year — with both Iowa State and the University of Iowa boasting their second-largest first-year classes ever after peaking in 2016.

Both UI and Iowa State also recorded total enrollment increases, while the University of Northern Iowa’s total enrollment dipped slightly from 9,283 last year to 9,204 this fall.

The UI total enrollment increase from 30,779 to 31,563 keeps it as the largest of Iowa’s three public universities, with Iowa State’s total enrollment climbing from 30,432 to 31,105.

But Iowa State has the bigger freshman class of 6,160 students — up from 5,906 last fall and nea