Penn State applications down 9 percent this year

Penn State says the number of applications for undergraduate enrollment is down about 9 percent this year.

There were nearly 54,000 applications for all Penn State campuses from potential first-year undergraduates applying to start this fall, according to figures provided to The Associated Press.That was down from the more than 59,000 applications received to start last fall.

The admissions office cited demographic trends and economic concerns. The number of high school seniors in Pennsylvania and neighboring states is declining.

Industry analysts have also found enrollment declines in many schools nationwide amid worries about the affordability of a college education.

Penn State has also named Johns Hopkins engineering school dean Nicholas Jones as its new provost. University trustees are expected to formally approve his hiring next week.