University officials estimate enrollment and retention rates to be at record-breaking highs for the 2011-12 academic school year.
Although official numbers have yet to be released, total enrollment for the University this fall term is estimated to be above 24,000 students, compared to 23,389 students in fall 2010@@http://admissions.uoregon.edu/profile.html@@. The percentage of freshmen who returned as sophomores this academic year is also impressive at approximately 85 percent@@85 not 86 % http://admissions.uoregon.edu/profile.html@@. Reports with the official numbers for enrollment will be released after the fourth week of the term by both the University and the Oregon University System.
“Enrollment this fall will be at a record level, and our retention rate is by far the highest of Oregon universities,” University Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Roger Thompson@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Roger+Thompson@@ said.
The University, especially the Office of Enrollment Management@@http://oem.uoregon.edu/@@, is proud that students are coming back in such strong numbers and plans to keep working hard to increase retention and enrollment rates.
“Each of our campuses are doing a really good job of hiring personnel to support students staying in school,” OUS spokesperson Diane Saunders@@http://www.ous.edu/news_and_information/bios/saunders.php@@ said. “Tutors and advisers are a great safety net to ensure students can stay in school.”
Furthermore, this year’s freshman class is considered by enrollment management to be the most academically prepared class to enter the University, boasting an average high school GPA of 3.59@@http://champions.uoregon.edu/freshmen-class-boasts-highest-gpa-and-most-diversity-uo-history@@. The freshman class is also the most ethnically and socially diverse group of students to ever come through the University.
“We are enrolling very talented students from all over, including all 50 states and over 100 different countries,” Thompson said. “No matter if you’re from Portland, Denver or Beijing, the UO has something to offer everyone.”
Of 18,065 high school seniors who applied to the University for fall 2010, only 3,925 students were admitted, approximately 22 percent@@checked@@, the lowest of any OUS institution. Of those 3,925, nearly half were non-residents@@stats pending release@@, the highest percentage of out-of-state students for any OUS school.
OUS total enrollment for fall 2010 was recorded at 96,960 students across eight campuses@@http://blog.oregonlive.com/higher-education/2010/11/oregon_university_system_sees.html@@. In last year’s report, total enrollment for this fall was projected to be upwards of 99,000 students, but this year University and OUS officials estimate this number to be closer to 97,000.
Over the past 50 years, OUS has seen steady growth in student enrollment, from approximately 24,000 students in 1960@@www.ous.edu/sites/default/files/dept/ir/reports/fb2010/…/p12.pdf@@, to 96,960 in 2010. OUS total retention rates in the past 10 years have also been steadily climbing, moving from 78 percent in 1999@@it’s 78, not 77 percent http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CDIQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ous.edu%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fdept%2Fgovrel%2Ffiles%2F2011IBRetentionStudentSuccess.pdf&rct=j&q=Oregon%20university%20system%20freshman%20retention%20rate%201999&ei=P-CcTsyRK4_diALNtfDUCQ&usg=AFQjCNETz4PQW9_WlVFya-tsXT9UNDXdsg&cad=rja@@ to 82.4 percent in 2010@@It is 2010, not 2009 http://www.ous.edu/news/111110@@, although these numbers include transfer students between OUS schools.
This year’s total returning freshman rate for OUS is expected to be down despite growth at the University.
“Levels are not as high as we have seen in past years due to harder economic times, but we are seeing an increase in people choosing to go back to school to gain more skills to take with them into the workforce,” Saunders said.
Both OUS and the University are working to improve retention and stay on the same trajectory of growth that they are now on.
Enrollment rates reach all-time high for University, OUS
Daily Emerald
October 16, 2011
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