Enrollment at University of Arkansas Sets Records for Freshmen, Minorities and Total Students

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Enrollment at the University of Arkansas has reached another milestone with more than 19,000 students enrolling at the state’s largest institution of higher education. Total enrollment at the end of the 11th day of classes was 19,191 students, a new campus record. There was an increase of 543 students overall, which represents a 2.9 percent growth over the fall 2007 semester. A total of 3,010 full and part-time degree-seeking freshmen are enrolled this year, the largest freshman class in university history. Minority enrollment also hit an all-time high in every category, with Hispanic American, Asian American and international students showing the largest percentage increases.

“It is encouraging to see a healthy growth in student enrollment, especially freshmen enrollment. These are tough economic times, and we know many of our students and their parents are making financial sacrifices to get a university education,” said Chancellor G. David Gearhart. “It’s our job now to see that these students come first in everything we do, that we give them the education they deserve and the support they need to graduate.

“A great deal of credit must go to our admissions staff and graduate school staff for the hard work they did all year to recruit students to the university. Our college deans and outstanding faculty also deserve praise for creating an environment of academic excellence that attracts students, not only from Arkansas, but from all over the nation and the world.  Our ability to recruit these students is a key factor in the steady increase in academic quality and achievement that we’ve seen at the University of Arkansas.”

Degree-seeking students

Overall, the number of degree-seeking undergraduate students is up by 2.9 percent, to a total of 14,857. Graduate student enrollment is up 1.8 percent, to 3,192 degree-seeking students, while School of Law enrollment declined by 1.2 percent to 398 degree-seeking students.

In-state students make up 73.5 percent of the undergraduate population, but the total number of in-state undergraduate students was down by 0.9 percent, with 10,922 degree-seeking students enrolled. The number of out-of-state undergraduates grew by 14.6 percent, however, to a new record of 3,538 students. Out-of-state enrollment has increased steadily since 1999. International student enrollment is also up substantially, 19.9 percent to 397 undergraduates.

The number of in-state graduate students also showed a slight increase, 0.8 percent over 2007, with a total of 1,862 degree-seeking students. Non-resident graduate students showed a 4.9 percent increase, 752 students, while there was a 1 percent increase in the number of international graduate students, to 578 students. This last figure was a significant improvement over 2007, when the international graduate student enrollment dropped by 5.1 percent.

Freshman class

The incoming freshman class set an enrollment record while maintaining high standards of academic achievement. The 3,010 degree-seeking freshmen represent a 3.8 percent increase over last year.

 “The admissions staff had a goal to bring more than 3,000 freshmen to campus in the year 2010,” said Karen Hodges, interim director of admissions. “We’re delighted and excited to reach that goal two years early. It’s a testament to the hard work done by our recruiters and our entire staff, but even more, to the people in the university community who have worked to create an outstanding institution that students want to attend.”

 The incoming freshman class boasts an average ACT score of 25.7, a decrease of 0.1 point from last year’s record high average. Their grade point average is 3.59, which matches that of last year’s freshman class.

Freshmen entering as Honors College students maintained the same academic levels as last year’s freshman class, averaging 30.8 on the ACT and posting a grade point average of 3.99.

In-state enrollment dropped slightly for incoming freshmen, down 1.1 percent from last year, a total of 1,898 degree-seeking students. A steady trend of increasing non-resident freshmen enrollment continued with a jump of 14.3 percent, to 1,074 students. However, only 38 international students enrolled in the freshman class, one fewer than in 2007, a drop of 2.6 percent. In-state students make up 63.1 percent of the new freshman class.

Diversity

The University of Arkansas showed a 4.4 percent gain in minority students, with the minority population now making up 13 percent of the degree-seeking students on campus. Minority freshman enrollment increased by 9.6 percent; minority students are 14.1 percent of this year’s freshman class.

Total enrollment of African American students reached the highest level in at least nine years, 1,025 students, but this represented an increase of only 0.2 percent over last year. African American students now make up 5.3 percent of the total enrollment, down from 5.5 percent in 2007. In the freshman class, however, African American enrollment jumped by 20 percent over last year to 168 degree-seeking students, the largest number since 1999. African American students make up 5.6 percent of the freshmen class.

Hispanic American enrollment increased by 10.6 percent overall, to a record total of 583 students. Hispanic Americans now make up 3 percent of the student body. In the freshman class, however, Hispanic American enrollment dropped 7.1 percent; Hispanic American students now make up 3 percent of the degree-seeking freshmen.

 Asian American enrollment also increased, showing a 7 percent gain overall, and a 5.8 percent increase in the freshman class. Asian American students make up 2.6 percent of the student body, and 3 percent of the freshman class.

American Indian students posted a 3.9 percent increase in total enrollment, and a 17.7 percent increase in the freshman class. American Indian students make up 2 percent of the student population and 2.4 percent of the freshman class.

In terms of gender diversity, the University of Arkansas remains almost equally divided between males and females. Men make up 51 percent of the student population, while 49 percent are women.

Colleges

The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences continues to have the largest enrollment, with 7,206 undergraduate and graduate students, but the college also showed the smallest gain in students, with an increase of 1.4 percent from last year.

The Sam M. Walton College of Business has a 4.6  percent increase and the second largest enrollment, 3,593 students.

The College of Education and Health Professions has a total enrollment of 3,304 students, a 4.4 percent increase over last year.

The College of Engineering has 2,264 students enrolled, a 3.1 percent increase.

The Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences enrolled 1,674 students, an increase of 3.7 percent.

The School of Architecture has a total enrollment of 422 undergraduate students, a 6.3 percent increase over 2007.

The state of Arkansas requires institutions of higher education to report enrollment figures for students who are registered on the 11th day of classes. The enrollment numbers are not officially reported to the state until Oct. 17, and there are often minor differences between the 11th day “snapshot” and the final enrollment numbers.

CONTACT:

Steve Voorhies, manager, media relations

University Relations

(479) 575-3583, voorhies@uark.edu

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