Fall semester enrollment at the University of Missouri-Rolla stands at 6,167
after four weeks of classes – the highest enrollment for the campus in more
than two decades, according to Laura Stoll, UMR registrar.

The fall enrollment census – officially recorded at the end of four weeks –
is up 309 students from the official fall 2006 figure. The university’s higher
student retention rates, along with a 6.8 percent increase in minority students
and a 4.9 percent increase in female students, helped lift the enrollment
beyond the university’s target.

Reaching a total enrollment of 6,000 students was a goal the university set
for itself in 2001. UMR’s student body has been growing steadily since 2000,
when 4,626 students were enrolled. The fall 2007 numbers represent a 33 percent
increase over the fall 2000 numbers.

“The university is pleased with this significant increase in our enrollment,
and the accompanying increases in the academic quality and diversity of the
student body,” says UMR Chancellor John F. Carney III. “Our fall 2007
enrollment has exceeded projections and supports our ultimate enrollment goal
of 6,650 students by 2011. UMR’s 33 percent enrollment increase since fall 2000
flies in the face of reduced interest in science and engineering on the part of
U.S. high school graduates. Our country urgently needs more technologically
literate professionals, and we are producing this next generation of leaders
and innovators.”

This year’s crop of new students includes 1,051 first-time freshmen, 276
transfer students and 434 new graduate students. When compared to last year’s
numbers, UMR has 74 more freshmen, 10 more transfers and 42 additional graduate
level students. The average ACT score rose to 27.4, keeping the university’s
average student profile among the top 10% in the nation

The current student body comes from 47 states and 50 foreign nations.

UMR’s undergraduate enrollment now stands at 4,753 students, while the
number of graduate students attending UMR is 1,414. Enrollment growth occurred
in all categories – undergraduate (a 5 percent increase), graduate (5.3
percent), on campus (4.8 percent) and distance (5.3 percent).