MU Official Fall 2014 Semester Enrollment Numbers Set Multiple Records
October 3rd, 2014
By Fran Webber
COLUMBIA, Mo. –University of Missouri administrators released official enrollment numbers today, confirming that MU’s student body of 35,441 is the largest in the 175-year history of the school. Additionally, MU’s current group of students is its most diverse. A record 5,486 minority students and 2,417 international students are enrolled this semester. The size of this year’s freshman class also is a record with 6,515 new faces on campus this fall.
“We are pleased to announce our largest class of first-time freshmen in MU history and the largest student enrollment ever at MU,” MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin said. “I interact with students every day and have learned that, even though Mizzou has very high academic standards that demand hard work, our students are happy to be at MU. Students come to Mizzou to achieve their unique goals, whether it’s a program of study, leadership in student organizations, or extracurricular opportunities that add to their MU experience. What is clear is that the University of Missouri is the place more and more want to be.”
Compared to last year, MU is becoming more tech-savvy, as students took more classes where they received all of their instruction online. The number of credit hours taken by students for these classes increased by more than 18 percent.
Officials also said the university’s student body is getting smarter. The number of Bright Flight students increased by almost 30 percent from 2013, and students recognized either as Curator or Chancellor’s Scholars rose by more than 35 percent from last fall.
“It’s exciting to participate in recruiting a student body that is not just growing in size and diversity, but also has the highest average ACT score in our history,” said Ann Korschgen, vice provost for enrollment management at MU. “The landscape of higher education is changing, and Mizzou is leading the way forward, educating students of varying backgrounds and doing so in ways that best meet their individual needs.”
MU also set a record in graduate and undergraduate student enrollment with 6,565 graduate students and 27,654 undergraduates enrolled this semester.
“Many factors contribute to the success we have had in drawing excellent students to Mizzou,” Korschgen said. “We have a dedicated faculty constantly working to improve and uphold the reputation of our academic programs, a beautiful campus, and an outstanding recruitment team.”
Note: A chart with official enrollment figures for Fall 2014 is below.
| Fall 2013 | Fall 2014 | Difference | |
| First-Time Freshmen | 6,194 | 6,515* | +321/+5.2 percent |
| Undergraduate students |
26,965 |
27,654* |
+689/+2.6 percent |
Graduate students |
6,439 |
6,565* |
+126/+2.0 percent |
Total Minority students |
5,197 |
5,486* |
+289/5.6 percent |
Mean ACT (freshman class) |
25.7 |
25.9* |
+0.2/+0.8 percent |
E-Learning credit hours |
|||
(100 percent online) |
22,697 |
26,896.5 |
+4,199.5/+18.5 percent |
Total Enrollment |
34,658 |
35,441* |
+783/2.3 percent |