There are some other notable exceptions regarding enrollment numbers
Auburn is larger than Alabama
Virginia Tech is larger than Virginia
NC State is larger than UNC
Miss State is larger than Ole Miss
AZ State is larger than Arizona
Oklahoma State is larger than Oklahoma
Utah Valley State is larger than both Utah and Utah State
and a little closer to home....
Montana State is larger than Montana.
South Dakota State is larger than South Dakota
More important than not being the largest school in the state is the question of why UND is not growing. Is it a lack of marketing?
Both schools were growing at approximately the same rate up until 2004, which was when NDSU moved to Division I. Is it more prestigious from a student's point of view to attend a Division I school? If that is the case, then UND's course should be corrected next year.
UND changed admissions standards a couple of years ago, which has had an effect, but the standards now are nearly the same as NDSU's. Just curious as to what others think the reason for the decline in enrollment is.
I believe that both schools have a goal to level out at 15,000 students, so eventually they will be nearly equal in terms of enrollment regardless, but UND needs to start heading that direction.