WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Purdue University says it has set an enrollment record for the third straight year at its main campus in West Lafayette.

Purdue officials say the campus has 44,551 students for the start of the new fall semester. That’s up 2.6% from last year’s some 43,400 students, which topped the 2017 mark of about 41,600 students.

The (Lafayette) Journal & Courier reports Purdue President Mitch Daniels called the enrollment figures an affirmation of the school’s faculty and overall student experience.

Enrollment dropped about 2% combined at the Purdue Northwest and Purdue Fort Wayne campuses, with each just over 10,000 students.

Indiana University saw overall enrollment at its seven campuses drop nearly 1% from last year, including a slight decline to 42,760 students at its Bloomington campus.