The fall 2016 enrollment at Missouri University of Science and Technology, officially recorded at the end of the semester’s fourth week, is 8,838. This is 0.6 percent below the previous record fall enrollment of 8,889, which was set in 2015, says Deanne Jackson, Missouri S&T registrar.

“This slight decrease in enrollment is caused by several factors, including a decrease in international graduate students,” says Laura Stoll, vice provost and dean for enrollment management at Missouri S&T. “However, despite the challenges, we set records in minority, underrepresented minority, Asian-American and Hispanic-American students.”

Enrollment of students in Ph.D. programs at Missouri S&T increased to 624. Freshman enrollment dropped seven students, from 1,489 to 1,482, and is the third-largest freshman class in S&T history. The average ACT score among Missouri S&T freshmen is 28.1.

Fall classes at Missouri S&T began on Aug. 22. The fourth week of the semester officially ended on Monday, Sept. 19.