SYRACUSE -- The cost of attending college isn’t keeping prospective students away from Syracuse, in fact the school says they’re applying in record numbers.

According to Syracuse University, undergraduate applications for the fall of 2011 are running 13% ahead of 2010, which set a one-year record for applications. The school says the increase in applications reflects a decade-long trend at the University.

"The media and our higher education peers have increasingly taken notice of our innovative curricula and our role as an anchor institution in the community. Programs like the Bandier Program for Music and the Entertainment Industries and partnerships like Syracuse Say Yes to Education set us far apart from most of our peers. They generate excitement and energy, and people want to be a part of that," says Don Saleh, SU’s vice president for enrollment management.

Of course, the school’s nationally recognized athletics programs, including perennial contenders in men’s basketball and lacrosse and growing women’s basketball and football programs, also contribute to its visibility.

SU says it awarded more than $178 million in grants to students, including financial aid for lower and middle income families. Saleh says the University intends to intensify its commitment to accessibility in the coming years.

Applications for the fall 2001 semester numbered about 12,900; by 2005, applications had grown to nearly 14,300. SU says that number has just about doubled to about 25,200 in the past year.