Enrollment Trends-Retention, Minorities, Grad Students

OHIO STATE ENROLLMENT FIGURES SHOW MORE STUDENTS STAYED IN SCHOOL

     COLUMBUS -- The recently released autumn quarter enrollment 
statistics for The Ohio State University confirm some positive 
trends: lower freshman dropout rates, increased minority 
participation, and growth in regional campus enrollments.

     "After a three-year downward trend, retention rates 
increased this year," said James Mager, assistant vice president 
for enrollment management.  More than 78 percent of last year's 
freshmen returned for their second year at the Columbus campus.

     "It was not only freshmen," Mager said.  "Retention rates 
for sophomores and juniors increased, also."

     Undergraduate enrollment at all Ohio State's campuses rose 
to 41,248, an increase of 270 students. Enrollment for all 
students -- undergraduate, graduate and professional -- is 
54,726. The total includes 48,352 students at the Columbus 
campus.

     Overall, the university's enrollment was nearly identical to 
last year, when the total for all campuses was 54,781. A decline 
of 0.7 percent at Columbus was balanced by increases at four of 
the five regional campuses:
     --  Marion Campus enrollment jumped 12 percent to 1,312.
     --  Lima Campus rose 3 percent, to 1,281.
     --  Newark Campus, 4.1 percent, to 1,611.
     -- The Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster, 5.6 
percent, to 827.

     Enrollment at the Mansfield Campus dropped 1.2 percent, to 
1,343 students.

     Minority undergraduate, graduate and professional enrollment 
is at an all-time high on all campuses.  Plus, students from 
ethnic minorities make up a greater percentage of the entire 
student body.

     There are 3,572 African-American students, 2,407 Asian or 
Pacific Islander undergraduates, 910 Hispanics and 185 American 
Indians.

     In addition, a record number of women, 1,250 or 46 percent 
of the total, are in the professional programs in the colleges of 
Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Optometry, Pharmacy and Veterinary 
Medicine.

     Graduate enrollment also rose on the regional campuses to 
612 students, a 4.3 percent increase over last year's 587.

     Administrators are analyzing a 346-student drop in graduate 
enrollment on the Columbus campus to 10,148, Mager said.

     Some of the 3.3 percent decrease was expected.  Some 
graduate department planned to control admissions for various 
reasons.  Some decided to pay higher stipends to fewer graduate 
students.  Others are using higher requirements to increase the 
quality of master's and Ph.D. candidates who are admitted into 
academic areas.

     Administrators suspect potential graduate students are 
putting off advanced studies because the job market is very 
strong.  "When the economy is good, graduate enrollment 
nationwide goes down," Mager said.

     As for the undergraduate increase, he said there are several 
factors to keeping more freshmen, sophomores and juniors at Ohio 
State.  They include an increased sensitivity to student needs, 
especially since the Committee on the Undergraduate Experience 
called for better services two years ago.

     One result of the CUE study was adjustments to financial aid 
policies, so students on academic probation do not lose their 
funding so quickly.  A study last year of dropouts showed about 
30 percent said money troubles contributed to their decision to 
leave school.

     Colleges and the Admissions and Financial Aid offices also 
are calling students who are currently enrolled but have not paid 
fees for the next quarter.  Callers help students with the 
process of registration and paying fees.
                            #

Contact: James J. Mager, (614) 292-3474

Autumn 1996 Enrollment Summary
The Ohio State University

All campuses:
54,726 (undergraduate, graduate and professional)

Columbus campus:
Undergraduate, graduate and professional -- 48,352
Undergraduate only -- 35,486
Professional only -- 2,718
Graduate only -- 10,148

Regional campuses (undergraduate and graduate)
Lima campus: 1,281 

Mansfield campus: 1,343

Marion campus: 1,312

Newark campus: 1,611

Wooster campus: 827

Minority undergraduate, graduate and professional enrollment (all 
campuses)
African-American: 3,572

American Indian or Alaskan Native: 185

Asian or Pacific Islander: 2,407

Hispanic: 910


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Mon, 4 Nov 1996 16:26:26 -0500]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.