Charles Sturt University's early entry scheme for Year 12 students from country NSW and Victoria has received a record number of applicants for the 2001 intake.

The Principal's Recommendation Entry Program, known as PREP, involves students completing a questionnaire with an endorsement from their school principal. If successful the application can lead to a guaranteed offer of a place at the university by 1 December, well before HSC results are announced on 18 December.

CSU's administrative officer for the scheme, Jo-Anne Jenkins said she has received hundreds more applications than in previous years.

"We usually average 1 300 to 1 500 applicants each year and at this stage applications are well in excess of that," she said.

"Regions that were new to the scheme in 1999 seem to have really increased their applications including the NSW Hunter Valley and Blue Mountains as well as central Victoria and the ACT.

"There has also been an influx of Central School applications which shows those schools are retaining more Year 12 students and are thinking laterally about ways of helping them get to university."

Careers teacher Denis Behan who has used the scheme for students in the Riverina and Bathurst area believes the program will continue to grow.

"I'm definitely getting more students interested in the CSU scheme because they feel the questionnaire approach considers whether they will be a good university student and does not just rely on their UAI score."

Nathan Earsman a Year 12 student from Gilgandra High said the scheme has been popular with his classmates.

"Most of the kids I know are talking about early entry schemes like Charles Sturt University's because it takes away the anxiety of waiting until January 19 and they are looking for ways to show the universities that they can do much more than their UAI might indicate. I wish more universities had early entry schemes."