MU freshmen enrollment jumps again, though still lower than 2015 numbers
The University of Missouri is expecting a double-digit percentage jump in the size of its freshman class in the fall, based on early enrollment deposits.
MU reported on Thursday that so far, 5,460 students have paid enrollment deposits for the fall, a more than 15% increase over the 4,696 in the fall 2018 class. Since students are likely to continue to enroll throughout the summer, university officials said the final number could be higher.
“We are delighted that so many students have chosen to make Mizzou their academic home,” Chancellor Alexander N. Cartwright said in a statement. “We can’t wait to welcome these new Tigers to campus.”
Since 2015, when student-led protests against campus racism turned a national spotlight on MU and forced the University of Missouri System president and the Columbia campus chancellor to step down, the university had seen a significant drop in enrollment. University officials also attribute part of the enrollment decline to demographic shifts and increased competition for shrinking numbers of students coming out of high school.
In 2015, 6,191 first-time students enrolled at MU. In the fall 2016, the freshman class dropped to less than 5,000 students for the first time since 2007.
Then last year the university saw the biggest freshman enrollment jump in a decade. The 4,696 freshmen represented an increase of 13.1% over the 4,134 the previous year.
In recent years the university has made growing enrollment a priority and has focused on reducing the cost of attending MU by lowering the price tag on housing and dining, and expanding scholarship opportunities.
Mizzou’s official enrollment figures will be available after the fourth week of classes.
