An Analysis of Fall Semester 1998 Enrollment
The University of Mississippi
This report provides information concerning fundamental aspects of student enrollment at The University of Mississippi in the Fall Semester 1998. It focuses primarily on changes in enrollment between Fall Semester 1997 and Fall Semester 1998. Where pertinent, however, references are made to enrollment trends across several years. The data contained in this report are drawn from the official University data tape concerning Fall Semester 1998 enrollment that will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning as part of their Management Information System.
CONTENTS
Section I: Enrollment Highlights (Composite)
Section II: Enrollment Highlights (Oxford Campus)
Section III: New and Readmitted Student Highlights
Section IV: First-time Full-time Freshmen, Drawing Power and Show Rate
Section V: Enrollment Highlights for the College of Liberal Arts and the Professional Schools
SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS
The composite enrollment (Oxford, Medical Center, Tupelo, DeSoto, Jackson, and Special Classes) of The University of Mississippi is 13,305 for the Fall Semester 1998 and is the highest ever recorded. This represents a 1.0 percent increase or 127 students over Fall Semester 1997.
Headcount enrollment on the Oxford Campus of 10,731 increased +197 students or +1.9 percent. This increase was generated primarily due to an increase in first-time full-time resident freshmen (+76 students or +9.0 percent), an increase in the sophomore class (+94 students or +5.8 percent), aand an increasein the junior class (+216 students or +11.4 percent) .
Off-campus enrollment at Tupelo, DeSoto, Jackson, and Special Classes decreased by -55 students or -7.2 percent.
Black U. S. citizen enrollment decreased to 1,228 students (-12 students or -1.0 percent).
Medical Center enrollment decreased slightly to 1,862 students.
Graduate School enrollment in Oxford declined by -77 students or -4.8 percent, and enrollment in the School of Law decreased by -18 students or -3.6 percent.
In addition to the increase in the number of first-time full-time freshmen, the quality of the entering freshman class increased from an average ACT score of 23.31 in the Fall Semester 1997 to an average ACT score of 23.44 in the Fall Semester 1998. This is the third consecutive year in which an increase in the average ACT score of the freshman class was exhibited.
SECTION I
ENROLLMENT HIGHLIGHTS
THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI (COMPOSITE)
FALL 1998
OVERALL HEADCOUNT AND ENROLLMENT
The total headcount enrollment at all locations of the University stood at 13,305 students or a +1.0 percent increase from Fall Semester 1997.
The overall enrollment at the University in Fall Semester 1998 is the highest ever recorded. (Figure 1)
OXFORD CAMPUS
Total enrollment grew to 10,731 students or +1.9 percent, an increase of +197 students above the Fall Semester 1997 enrollment of 10,534.
While full-time enrollment grew by +235 students or +2.5 percent, part-time enrollment declined by -38 students or -3.6 percent.
Undergraduate enrollment grew by +292 students or +3.5 percent.
Graduate School enrollment declined by -77 students or -4.8 percent.
Enrollment in the School of Law decreased by -18 students or -3.6 percent.
MEDICAL CENTER
Medical Center enrollment has grown by +231 students or +14.2 percent since 1992. (Figure 2)
TUPELO, DESOTO, JACKSON, AND SPECIAL CLASS HEADCOUNT ENROLLMENT
Combined off-campus headcount enrollment decreased by -55 students or -7.2 percent. (Figure 3)
Enrollment of students at the DeSoto Center increased by +74 students or +36.1 percent.
Headcount enrollment at the Tupelo Campus decreased by -69 students or -21.5 percent.
Jackson Campus enrollment (Jackson Engineering and graduate level education) remained almost unchanged at 90 students.
Special Class enrollment decreased by -61 students or -40.1 percent.
SECTION II
ENROLLMENT HIGHLIGHTS
OXFORD CAMPUS
FALL 1998
HEADCOUNT AND FTE
The total headcount enrollment this fall is 10,731, an increase of +197 students or +1.9 percent. (Figure 4)
The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) students increased by +278 (+2.8 percent) to 10,115.
UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE/LAW
Undergraduate enrollment is 8,712, an increase of +292 students (+3.5 percent) from 8,420 last fall. This is the largest undergraduate enrollment since Fall 1991.(Figure 4)
Graduate enrollment (1,540 students) decreased by -77 students or -4.8 percent.(Figure 5) Decreases occurred at both the master’s level (-82 students or -9.2 percent) and the doctoral level (-20 students or -3.4 percent); however, enrollment in the other/unclassified category increased by +22 students or +16.7 percent.
Law School enrollment decreased by -18 students or -3.6 percent. This decline occurred primarily because of small first year class enrollments in Fall 1997 (173 students) and Fall 1998 (158 students).(Figure 6)
RESIDENT/NON-RESIDENT
Overall resident enrollment increased (+205 students or +3.1 percent). Undergraduate resident students increased by +274 students (+5.1 percent), while decreases occurred in graduate resident enrollment (-38 students or -4.7 percent) and law resident enrollment (-31 students or -7.1 percent).(Figure 7)
Undergraduate resident enrollment of 5,621 students is the highest undergraduate resident enrollment since Fall 1981.
Within undergraduate resident student enrollment, freshmen increased by +21 students, sophomores increased by +64 students, juniors increased by +130 students, and seniors increased by +63 students.
Enrollment increased in all three Mississippi regions — northern counties by +14 students or +0.3 percent, central counties by +117 students or +7.2 percent, and southern counties by +74 students or +8.4 percent.
Overall non-resident enrollment decreased by -8 students (-0.2 percent).
Non-resident undergraduate enrollment increased by +18 students (+0.6 percent) to 3,091.(Figure 7) Increases occurred in the sophomore class (+30 students or +4.6 percent) and the junior class (+86 students or +14.6 percent), while decreases occurred in the freshman class (-51 students or -4.5 percent) and the senior class (-38 students or -5.8 percent).
Non-resident graduate student enrollment decreased by -39 students (-4.8 percent), while non- resident law student enrollment increased by +13 students or +22.0 percent.
FULL-TIME/PART-TIME
Full-time enrollment increased by +235 students (+2.5 percent) to 9,722. Undergraduate full-time enrollment increased by +346 students (+4.4 percent), while graduate full-time enrollment decreased by -94 students (-8.3 percent).
Part-time enrollment decreased by -38 students (-3.6 percent) to 1,009. This was undoubtedly influenced by the greater than 50 percent increase in the cost of part-time enrollment due to the change in IHL tutition/student activity fee policies.
The proportion of students who are full-time increased to 90.6 percent from 90.1 percent in Fall 1997.
MALE/FEMALE
Female enrollment increased by +92 students (+1.7 percent) to 5,571. This increase is part of a trend toward a greater proportion of female students evidenced in recent years.
Male enrollment increased by +105 students (+2.1 percent) to 5,160.
COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL ENROLLMENT (UNDERGRADUATE)
Undergraduate enrollment increased in Business (+178 students or +9.8 percent), Education (+118 students or +13.2 percent), Engineering (+41 students or +6.8 percent), Pharmacy (+28 students or +8.6 percent), and Accountancy (+16 students or +3.6 percent).
Undergraduate enrollment decreased in Liberal Arts (-84 students or -2.0 percent).
GRADUATE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
Overall graduate student enrollment decreased by -77 students or -4.8 percent to 1,540 students. (Figure 8)
Graduate student enrollment decreased at the master’s level by -82 students or -9.2 percent and the doctoral level by -20 students or -3.4 percent, while the other/unclassified category increased by +22 students or +16.7 percent.
BLACK STUDENTS (U. S. CITIZENS)
Enrollment of Black U. S. citizens decreased (-12 students or -1.0 percent) to 1,228 students.
Black student enrollment at the undergraduate level increased by +33 students or +3.6 percent to 944, an all time high enrollment.
Black student enrollment at the postbaccalaureate level (graduate and law) decreased by -45 students or -13.7 percent to 284 students.
Overall, 11.4 percent of the students enrolled at the University are Black U. S. citizens.
FRESHMEN/SOPHOMORES/JUNIORS/SENIORS
Freshman class enrollment decreased by -30 students or -1.3 percent from last fall.
(Figure 9A and Figure 9B)
Sophomore class enrollment increased by +94 students or +5.8 percent.
Junior class enrollment increased by +216 students or +11.4 percent.
Senior class enrollment increased by +25 students (+1.1 percent).
FOREIGN STUDENTS
Foreign student enrollment decreased by -49 students (-10.4 percent) to 420 students.(Figure 10)
Foreign students account for 3.9 percent of the total student body.
SECTION III
NEW AND READMITTED STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
OXFORD CAMPUS
FALL 1998
NEW UNDERGRADUATES
The number of new undergraduates increased from 2,562 to 2,586 students or +0.9 percent.
New undergraduate enrollment increased in the freshman class (+9 students), the junior class (+2 students), and the senior class (+28 students), while new undergraduate enrollment decreased in the sophomore class (-2 students).
New resident undergraduate enrollment increased by +74 students (+4.9 percent) from 1,517 to 1,591. New non-resident undergraduate enrollment decreased by -50 students (-4.8 percent) from 1,045 to 995.
The enrollment of first-time full-time freshmen increased from 1,687 to 1,718 students. (see Section IV for a detailed discussion)
The average ACT score for the entering freshman class increased from 23.31 in Fall 1997 to 23.44 in Fall 1998.(Figure 11)
New full-time transfer students increased by +20 students or +2.6 percent to 788 students. (Figure 12) This represents the highest number of new full-time transfer students since 1991.
NEW GRADUATES
New graduate enrollment decreased by -14 students (-4.0 percent) from 353 to 339.(Figure 13)
In the past three years (Fall 1996, Fall 1997, and Fall 1998) enrollment of new graduate students has decreased by -120 students or -26.1 percent.
New resident graduate students increased by +12 students (+7.9 percent) from 152 to 164.
New master’s level students decreased by -27 students (-12.0 percent) from 225 to 198, and new doctoral level students decreased by -10 students (-14.3 percent).
NEW LAW STUDENTS
The number of new students entering the School of Law this fall decreased by -14 students (-9.7 percent). This year’s first year class has the lowest enrollment recorded in over 20 years.(Figure 6)
New resident Law School enrollment decreased by -24 students (-20.5 percent), while new non- resident law enrollment increased by +10 students (+37.0 percent).
READMITTED STUDENTS
The number of readmitted students at the undergraduate level decreased from 345 in Fall 1997 to 335 in Fall 1998. At the graduate level, the number of readmitted students decreased from 72 in Fall 1997 to 66 in Fall 1998.(Figure 14)
SECTION IV
FIRST-TIME FULL-TIME FRESHMEN
DRAWING POWER AND SHOW RATE
OXFORD CAMPUS
FALL 1998
OVERALL
The enrollment of first-time full-time freshmen increased from 1,687 to 1,718 (+31 students or +1.8 percent).
First-time full-time resident enrollment increased by +76 students or +9.0 percent, while first-time full-time non-resident enrollment decreased by -45 students or -5.3 percent.
The institution’s drawing power increased from 0.0329 to 0.0344. The central counties increased from 0.0346 to 0.0364, and the southern counties increased from 0.0168 to 0.0208.(Table I)
The overall show rate of new freshmen (the proportion of applicants who ultimately enroll) decreased from 41.5 percent in Fall 1997 to 40.7 percent in Fall 1998.(Table II)
RESIDENT FIRST-TIME FULL-TIME FRESHMEN
Resident first-time full-time freshmen increased by +76 students or +9.0 percent to 921 students. (Figure 15)
The number of first-time full-time freshmen from the northern counties increased by +1.2 percent, the central counties increased by +10.0 percent, and the southern counties increased by +28.7 percent.(Figure 15 and Figure 16)
Among the more notable changes were those from Madison County (+17 students or +51.5 percent), DeSoto County (+16 students or +55.2 percent), Hinds County (+16 students or +16.7 percent), Pontotoc County (+15 students or +300.0 percent), Jackson County (+15 students or +48.4 percent), Montgomery County (+11 students or +183.3 percent), Lee County (-10 students or -23.3 percent), Warren County (-14 students or -51.9 percent), and Lafayette County (-23 students or -31.5 percent).
NON-RESIDENT FIRST-TIME FULL-TIME FRESHMEN
The enrollment of non-resident first-time full-time freshmen (797 students) decreased by -45 students
or -5.3 percent.(Figure 17) Ole Miss continues to have a significant representation of students from other states.(Figure 19)
Significant enrollment changes of first-time full-time freshmen from the states in our immediate area took place in Tennessee (+30 students or +16.0 percent), Texas (-13 students or -13.8 percent), and Louisiana (-38 students or -30.2 percent). The substantial decline in first-time full- time freshmen from Louisiana can be attributed to a very generous scholarship program instituted in Louisiana this year.
The combined enrollment from our four border states decreased by -10 students or -2.1 percent. (Figure 15 and Figure 18)
The proportion of first-time full-time freshmen who are residents increased to 53.6 percent from 50.1 percent last fall.
DRAWING POWER
Statewide, the drawing power (the decimal fraction of first-time full-time freshmen at Ole Miss divided by the previous year’s 12th grade public school enrollment) increased from 0.0329 in Fall 1997 to 0.0344 in Fall 1998.(Table I)
SHOW RATE
This fall the undergraduate show rate (the rate at which applicants ultimately enroll at the University) decreased from 45.8 percent to 44.4 percent. (Table II)
The Graduate School show rate increased from 21.2 percent to 22.1 percent.
The Law School show rate decreased from 12.6 percent to 11.7 percent.
SECTION V
ENROLLMENT HIGHLIGHTS
FOR THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS
OXFORD CAMPUS
FALL 1998
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
Total undergraduate enrollment decreased by -84 students (-2.0 percent) to 4,186.( Figure 20A and TableIII).
Graduate enrollment decreased by -52 students (-8.1 percent) to 588 students.
New undergraduate enrollment decreased by -84 students (-5.7 percent) to 1,385 students.
Total College of Liberal Arts enrollment is 4,774 students, a decrease of -136 students or -2.8 percent from Fall 1997.
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Total undergraduate enrollment increased by +178 students or +9.8 percent to 1,998 students.
Graduate enrollment decreased by -7 students (-5.2 percent) to 128 students.
New undergraduate enrollment increased by +81 students or +16.9 percent to 560 students.
Total enrollment in the School of Business is 2,126, which is +171 students or +8.7 percent more than Fall 1997.
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Total undergraduate enrollment increased by +118 students or +13.2 percent to 1,014 students. (Figure 20B)
New undergraduate enrollment increased by +28 students or +13.8 percent to 231 students.
Total graduate level enrollment decreased by -27 students or -5.3 percent.
Overall School of Education enrollment is 1,494, an increase of +91 students or +6.5 percent from Fall 1997.
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Total undergraduate enrollment increased by +41 students or +6.8 percent to 645 students.
Graduate enrollment increased by +13 students or +8.1 percent to 173 students.
Overall enrollment in the School of Engineering increased to 818 students, an increase of +54 students or +7.1 percent.
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
Undergraduate enrollment in the School of Pharmacy increased by +28 students or +8.6 percent to 355 students. (Figure 20C)
Graduate level enrollment increased by +12 students or +19.0 percent to 75 students.
Overall enrollment in the School of Pharmacy increased by +40 students or +10.3 percent to a total of 430 students.
SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY
Total undergraduate enrollment increased to 466 students, an increase of +16 students or +3.6 percent.
Graduate enrollment decreased by -16 students or -14.3 percent to 96 students.
New undergraduate enrollment decreased by -15 students or -13.0 percent to 100 students.
Total School of Accountancy enrollment remained unchanged at 562 students.
SCHOOL OF LAW
Law School enrollment decreased by -18 students or -3.6 percent to 479 students.