Purdue News

September 1, 1998 Purdue WL enrollment sets record WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University's West Lafayette campus enrollment is at an all-time high this fall with 36,878 students, exceeding the previous 1991 record by 715. Estimated enrollment at all Purdue campuses also increased to 66,260. Systemwide enrollment has increased each of the past three years. "The pattern of strong enrollment growth in recent years indicates that students are voting with their feet," President Steven C. Beering said. "The outstanding quality of academic programs, the high value of a Purdue degree in the job market and the excellent quality of life our students enjoy are all factors in making this university the choice of so many people." Beering said Purdue's long-term plan is to maintain enrollments at or near this year's record level. Thomas B. Robinson, vice president for student services, commented: "We especially are pleased with the academic caliber of this group of new students. This year's first-time students include more valedictorians and other top academic performers than in years past. Their SAT scores are more than 100 points above the state average." The incoming freshman class at the West Lafayette campus this fall is 7,086, up from 6,895 a year ago, and it is the second-largest class in Purdue history, said Douglas Christiansen, director of admissions. The largest group was the 7,326 students who enrolled in the fall of 1988. "The growth reflects a comprehensive enrollment management effort that involves everyone on campus," Christiansen said. "The custodians and ground crews who make the campus attractive, administrators and front-line staff, the faculty and staff in each Purdue school, and the Center for Career Opportunities that helps our graduates find jobs -- they all play critical roles in making Purdue a welcoming place academically and socially." Registrar Marlesa Roney noted this growth has been an ongoing trend: "Our enrollment has increased each year as the relatively smaller freshman classes of the early and mid-1990s have completed their degrees and been replaced by the larger groups of first-year students who have started their college careers during the past three to four years. Undergraduate enrollment is likely to stabilize during the next few years as the number of new students more closely matches the number of new graduates." The Office of the Registrar provided these additional points of comparison for the West Lafayette campus: Most of the increase is at the undergraduate level. The undergraduate enrollment is 30,159 compared to 29,122 a year ago. Three out of four undergraduates are Indiana residents. Enrollment in graduate and professional programs increased to 6,719 students. There are 21,199 men and 15,679 women enrolled. Overall ethnic enrollment in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs decreased slightly. There are 1,308 African-American students this fall compared with 1,348 a year ago. The Asian-American student population decreased by 35 to 1,284. The number of Hispanic students is 769, up from 743 students. American Indian enrollment remained the same at 192. Enrollment is expected to be stable at other Purdue campuses. Estimates indicate their totals will be about: Purdue Calumet -- 9,440, an increase of 185 students from last fall's 9,255. Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne -- 5,990 students in Indiana University programs and about 4,650 students in Purdue programs. The total is down an estimated 29 students from fall 1997. Purdue North Central -- 3,370 students compared with 3,369 a year ago. Purdue programs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis --3,610 students compared with 3,532 last fall. Estimated enrollment in the School of Technology Statewide Delivery System is 1,870 students. School of Technology classes are taught in Anderson, Columbus, Elkhart, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Lafayette, Muncie, New Albany, Richmond, South Bend and Versailles. Systemwide Purdue enrollment peaked at 66,562 students in 1992. The undergraduate schools at West Lafayette and their enrollments are: Agriculture -- 2,510, down 29. Consumer and Family Sciences -- 1,754, up 91. Education -- 1,337, up 154. Engineering -- 5,881, down 13. Liberal Arts -- 5,783, up 313. Management -- 2,386, up 177. Dean Dennis Weidnaar said the increase not only reflects a national trend but also better retention of existing students and an increase in the number of transfer students. Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences -- 1,656, down 231, a drop that reflects the phasing out of the bachelor's degree program in pharmacy. New pharmacy students can enroll only in a doctor of pharmacy degree program. Science -- 3,068, up 278. Much of the increase is from freshmen enrolling as computer science, biology and chemistry majors. Technology -- 4,228, up 69. Veterinary Medicine -- 88, up 26. University Division and Undergraduate Studies, programs for students who have not decided on a major -- 564 and 424 students, respectively. Sources: Thomas Robinson, (765) 494-5776; e-mail, tbrobinson@vpss.purdue.edu Douglas Christiansen, (765) 494-1776; e-mail, dlchristiansen@adms.purdue.edu Marlesa Roney (765) 494-6133; e-mail, maroney@reg.purdue.edu Writer: J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371; e-mail, mike_willis@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page