Missouri University of Science and Technology has seen its enrollment rise for the seventh consecutive year, even though the university limited enrollment into its nationally recognized freshman engineering program.

This fall’s total enrollment is expected to exceed 7,000 registered students, making it the largest enrollment since the university implemented selective admission standards in 1988. Students began classes for the fall semester on Monday, Aug. 23.

“We are excited to welcome back our returning students and another outstanding freshman class,” says Chancellor John F. Carney III. “The nation continues to face significant challenges dealing with global issues, and I have great confidence in our students’ ability to become the nation’s future leaders and innovators.”

First-day student enrollment was 6,952, a 5 percent increase over last year’s figure of 6,614, says Registrar Laura Stoll. Missouri S&T’s enrollment has increased significantly over the past decade. In 2000, first day fall enrollment at the university was 4,256. This year’s enrollment reflects a 63 percent increase in the student body since 2000.

“We have grown slightly beyond our strategic enrollment goals for the size of our campus infrastructure and faculty,” says Dr. Warren K. Wray, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. “To protect the quality of our programs, this year we focused on diversifying the enrollments and restraining the growth in overloaded programs.”

Due to capacity limitations, the university capped the freshman engineering class in June and limited the new undergraduate enrollment growth to 4.6 percent. Enrollment this week includes more than 1,160 freshmen, 351 new transfer students and 416 new graduate students.

The university’s student achievement and quality ratings are among the highest in the nation for public universities. The average freshman high school GPA was 3.8 on a 4.0 scale and ACT entrance score average was 27.7, ranking the class in the upper 10 percent of college-bound students in the United States.

By the fourth-week enrollment census, Missouri S&T expects to set new enrollment records for student diversity. Enrolled students this fall will come from 47 states and 54 foreign nations. The female student enrollment, which is typically low at engineering-dominant schools, has increased again. The more than 1,529 female students may be a record for the university.

Ninety percent of S&T’s students pursue science, technology, engineering or mathematics degrees. In the last two years, more than 80 percent of the students reported securing firm career plans by graduation. In May 2010, graduates reported an average starting salary of $57,800, placing Missouri S&T among the top three public universities in the nation.

The official fall enrollment figures will be released after the fourth week of classes.