MU’s Freshman Class Projected to be Approximately 4,000

Retention, class quality remain very strong

May 5th, 2017

COLUMBIA, Mo. ­—  The University of Missouri will maintain its high academic quality with the incoming freshman class. MU officials estimate that about 4,000 freshman will enroll in August. The projection is based on the 4,009 students who have paid enrollment deposits for the fall semester. Officials said that students can continue to enroll throughout the summer, so the projection could change between now and August. MU’s retention rate from fall to spring also remained strong at 94 percent.

“In addition to our freshman class, we have seen strong retention numbers, which measures how many freshmen from Fall 2016 continued their studies in Spring 2017,” said Pelema Morrice, vice provost for Enrollment Management. “The average ACT of our incoming freshman class will be above 25.5, which tells us that some of the brightest students in Missouri know that Mizzou will help them with their career goals.”

Morrice also noted that recently created partnerships and strong support from friends of the university are impacting students positively, providing them learning opportunities they can’t find anywhere else while simultaneously keeping the cost of college low. Programs such as the Stamps Scholars Program, which offers four-year, full-ride scholarships and enrichment awards of $16,000, were developed to instill skills in Mizzou students that give them a competitive advantage in their chosen field.

Other new programs at MU include:

• Cherng Summer Scholars Program – the program provides $9,000 each to selected undergraduates in the Honors College to fund research projects or artistic endeavors during a 10-week summer course. The program was created this year through a $1.5 million gift from the Panda Charitable Foundation, which is led by MU alumni.
• The CIRCA program – a new, problem-based learning curriculum for honors courses that promotes interdisciplinary study and leadership development.
• MIZZOUMACC – an initiative between MU and Moberly Area Community College that will ensure students can transition between the two schools seamlessly.

“A class of this size gives us the ability to think carefully about our long-term enrollment planning,” said Garnett Stokes, interim chancellor. “As part of our planning process, we will be determining the optimum freshman class size for Fall 2018 and future years. This will help us develop and create strong and renewable resources, targeting our students’ best interests as we educate the future leaders of our state and nation.”

Morrice and Pat Okker, interim dean of the College of Arts and Science, are co-chairing the Strategic Enrollment Management Committee that is expected to shape Mizzou’s enrollment future. The committee is charged with recommending strategic efforts and policy initiatives related to enrollment efforts.

Pronunciation guide: Pelema is pronounced “Peh – lem – uh” (rhymes with “dilemma”). Morrice is pronounced “Morris.”