The time has come for Purdue to dramatically raise academic standards in its admission process for freshman applicants.

In March, Purdue stopped admitting applicants for enrollment because the school has reached its limit in students. Although this is good because it will ensure an opportunity for students to get the education that they expect from a university like Purdue, there is a drawback.

Unfortunately, many high school students who are carrying grade point averages in the A range and have been applying for admission since March are being turned away en masse. This is not good.

These are students who would reflect well on the University, as well as make the University reflect well on the rest of the collegiate system, and the fact that they will be attending a different school this fall is our loss, not gain.

The school has reached its maximum enrollment. It simply cannot afford to have any more student increases and still keep its high standard of education.

This loss of opportunity for students to get into Purdue marks a critical, and perhaps monumental, moment in our school history that will enable the University to move up in the school rankings. This move will have nothing to do with sports. Purdue will be able to step into a league of more highly esteemed schools. Because of this, its demand will increase in orders of magnitude.

The current standards for in-state students are not quite high enough. Although marginal increases have come naturally over the last few years, a dramatic increase will benefit the University greatly.

The natural trend with increased popularity in collegiate enrollment is that the academic standards rise as well. According to the U.S. News and World Report, Purdue has moved from a second-tier school — ranked in the 80s — to the brink of the top 50 — No. 51.

In the end, Purdue will gain a reputation for selecting more elite students, which may decrease enrollment slightly over the next few years — not altogether a bad thing.

But ,after that, demand for acceptance into this University will catapult into stratospheric numbers. The reason: Purdue’s education standards will be uttered in the same breath as USC, Berkeley, Princeton and MIT.

This will raise the value and marketability of everyone in the past, present and future who holds a Purdue degree.