BYU-Idaho enrollment up despite lower missionary age

Brigham Young University-Idaho enrollment figures for the 2014 winter semester show an increase of 0.7 percent over last winter’s enrollment. More than 15,600 students are enrolled at the school this semester.

Previously, university officials had worried that lowering the missionary age limits would lead to a drop in students.

“What we’re seeing is the effect of the missionary age change kind of leveling off a little bit,” said BYU-Idaho spokesman Marc Stevens. “When the missionary age change was announced in the fall of 2012, we knew we would see an impact. 2013 was the year that we saw most of that impact, particularly last semester during the fall.”

Stevens said many students are choosing to take deferments so they can go on their missions before returning to Idaho with a guaranteed spot at BYU-Idaho.