August 31, 2005

Purdue enrollment steady, quality high

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue's West Lafayette campus enrollment is holding steady this fall while the academic preparation of first-year students is among the best in the university's history.

Douglas Christiansen, assistant vice president for enrollment management and dean of admissions, announced today (Wednesday, Aug. 31) that enrollment at the West Lafayette campus is 38,712 this fall, compared with 38,653 a year ago. Systemwide enrollment is estimated at 69,098, compared with 68,746 a year ago.

"We have continued to meet our enrollment management goals by keeping steady the number of students enrolled at Purdue and making sure those students have the academic preparation to succeed and earn a degree," he said. "More Purdue students are graduating in four years. This has made room for a larger entering class this fall."

The freshman class has 238 valedictorians this year, an increase of 51 from last fall. The class also includes 86 National Merit Scholars. Purdue will have more new National Merit Scholars on campus than any other Indiana university this fall. Only two other Big Ten universities are expected to enroll more new National Merit Scholars than Purdue, Christiansen said.

More than half of entering freshman students had a 3.5 grade-point average or higher in high school. The average SAT score of 1150 for incoming freshmen is about the same as the past three years and is 21 points higher than five years ago. The national average among all students taking the SAT was 1028; the Indiana average was 1012.

The improved academic preparation of incoming students is being reflected in increased graduation rates, Christiansen said. The freshman class from 2000 has had 40.2 percent of its members graduate after four years, which is the highest rate in more than a decade.

The student population includes 7,429 first-semester freshman students. The number of first-time students is up 301 from last year because a greater number of Purdue students are completing their degrees in four years, freeing up space for additional new admissions, Christiansen said.

"With more students finishing their degrees, we are able to offer admission to more new students seeking an opportunity to come to Purdue, while still maintaining our targeted enrollment level," he said.

Undergraduate enrollment at the West Lafayette campus is 30,875.

Purdue continues to make gains in undergraduate diversity, with 176 more students who identified themselves as African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic or Native American enrolled this fall.

"Ethnic groups comprise 11.9 percent of the total undergraduate student population," Christiansen said.

The number of international students enrolled is 1,894 undergraduates and 2,937 graduate and professional students.

Purdue's Graduate School and professional programs, such as pharmacy and veterinary medicine, remained stable, adding 7,837 students to the overall enrollment.

Other campus totals:

• Purdue Calumet – estimated at 9,400, compared with last fall's 9,222.

• Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne – estimated at 11,795, compared with 11,810 a year ago.

• Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis – estimated at 4,231 enrolled in Purdue programs, compared with 4,164 last year.

• Purdue North Central – estimated at 3,520 students, compared with 3,441 a year ago.

• Statewide Technology – estimated at 792 equivalent full-time students, compared with 824 a year ago. School of Technology degrees are offered in South Bend/Elkhart, Indianapolis, Lafayette/Kokomo, Anderson/Muncie, New Albany, Columbus/Southeast Indiana and Richmond.

The undergraduate enrollment breakdown at the West Lafayette campus by academic area is:

• Agriculture – 2,426

• Consumer and Family Sciences – 1,914

• Education – 986

• Engineering – 6,262

• Liberal Arts – 6,239

• Management – 2,563

• Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences – 1,960

• Science – 2,776

• Technology – 3,986

• Veterinary Medicine – 338

• Undergraduate Studies (programs for students who have not decided on a major) – 1,114

• Non-degree students – 311

Writer: J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371; jmwillis@purdue.edu

Sources: Douglas L. Christiansen, (765) 494-7014; dlchristiansen@purdue.edu

John J. Contreni, dean of the Graduate School, (765) 494-2604; contreni@purdue.edu

Thomas B. Robinson, vice president for student services (765) 494-5776; tbrobinson@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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