An Analysis of Fall Semester 1999 Enrollment
The University of Mississippi
This report provides information concerning fundamental aspects of student enrollment at The University of Mississippi in the Fall Semester 1999. It focuses primarily on changes in enrollment between Fall Semester 1998 and Fall Semester 1999. Where pertinent, however, references are made to enrollment trends across several years. The data contained in this report are drawn from the official University data tape concerning Fall Semester 1999 enrollment that will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning as part of their Management Information System.
CONTENTS
Section I: Enrollment Highlights (Composite)
Section II: Enrollment Highlights (Oxford Campus)
Section III: New and Readmitted Student Highlights (Oxford Campus)
Section IV: First-time Full-time Freshmen, Drawing Power and Show Rate (Oxford Campus)
Section V: Enrollment Highlights for the College of Liberal Arts and the Professional Schools (Oxford Campus)
SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS
The composite enrollment (Oxford, Medical Center, Tupelo, DeSoto, Jackson, and Special Classes) of The University of Mississippi is 13,526 for the Fall Semester 1999 and is the highest ever recorded. This represents a +1.7 percent increase or +221 students over Fall Semester 1998.
Headcount enrollment on the Oxford Campus of 10,916 increased +185 students or +1.7 percent. This increase was generated primarily due to an increase in the senior class (+219 students or +9.7 percent) and an increase in the junior class (+103 students or +4.9 percent) .
Off-campus enrollment at Tupelo, DeSoto, Jackson, and Special Classes increased by +118 students or +16.6 percent.
Black U. S. citizen enrollment increased to a record 1,320 students (+92 students or +7.5 percent).
Medical Center enrollment decreased to 1,780 students.
Graduate School enrollment in Oxford declined by -95 students or -6.2 percent. Since Fall 1995, Graduate School enrollment has declined by -329 students or -18.5 percent.
The enrollment of first-time full-time freshmen declined by -49 students or -2.9 percent and is the lowest since Fall 1995. Also, new transfer enrollment declined by -63 students or -8.0 percent which follows two years of strong growth. Enrollment decreases in these groups (first-time full-time freshmen and new transfers) are attributable to substantial declines in the “show rate” (the proportion of applicants for admission that subsequently enroll).
Enrollment in the School of Law remained relatively unchanged at 477 students, but prospects for future enrollment appear bright as the School of Law took in its largest first year class since Fall 1996.
SECTION I
ENROLLMENT HIGHLIGHTS
THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI (COMPOSITE)
FALL 1999
OVERALL HEADCOUNT AND ENROLLMENT
The total headcount enrollment at all locations of the University stood at 13,526 students or a +1.7 percent increase from Fall Semester 1998.
The overall enrollment at the University in Fall Semester 1999 is the highest ever recorded. (Figure 1)
OXFORD CAMPUS
Total enrollment grew to 10,916 students or +1.7 percent, an increase of +185 students above the Fall Semester 1998 enrollment of 10,731.
Full-time enrollment grew by +150 students or +1.5 percent, and part-time enrollment increased by +35 students or +3.5 percent.
Undergraduate enrollment grew by +282 students or +3.2 percent.
Graduate School enrollment declined by -95 students or -6.2 percent.
Enrollment in the School of Law decreased slightly from 479 students to 477 students.
MEDICAL CENTER
Medical Center enrollment decreased by -82 students or -4.4 percent due to the enrollment of only one Nursing class this year. In the past few years, two nursing classes have been offered. (Figure 2)
TUPELO, DESOTO, JACKSON, AND SPECIAL CLASS HEADCOUNT ENROLLMENT
Combined off-campus headcount enrollment increased by +118 students or +16.6 percent and stands at its highest point since Fall 1980. (Figure 3)
Enrollment of students at the Tupelo Campus increased by +78 students or +31.0 percent.
Headcount enrollment at the DeSoto Center increased by +34 students or +12.2 percent.
Jackson Campus enrollment (Jackson Engineering and graduate level education) decreased by -35 students or -38.9 percent.
Special Class enrollment increased by +41 students or +45.1 percent.
SECTION II
ENROLLMENT HIGHLIGHTS
OXFORD CAMPUS
FALL 1999
HEADCOUNT AND FTE
The total headcount enrollment this fall is 10,916, an increase of +185 students or +1.7 percent. (Figure 4)
The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) students increased by +130 (+1.3 percent) to 10,245.
UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE/LAW
Undergraduate enrollment is 8,994, an increase of +282 students (+3.2 percent) from 8,712 last fall. This is the largest undergraduate enrollment on record. (Figure 4)
Graduate enrollment (1,445 students) decreased by -95 students or -6.2 percent. (Figure 5) Decreases occurred at the doctoral level (-66 students or -11.6 percent), and the other/unclassified category (-48 students or -31.2 percent).
Law School enrollment decreased by -2 students or -0.4 percent. The first year class enrollment increased from 158 students in Fall 1998 to197 students in Fall 1999. (Figure 6)
RESIDENT/NON-RESIDENT
Overall resident enrollment increased (+197 students or +2.9 percent). Undergraduate resident students increased by +264 students (+4.7 percent), while decreases occurred in graduate resident enrollment (-60 students or -7.8 percent) as well as law resident enrollment (-7 students or -1.7 percent). (Figure 7)
Undergraduate resident enrollment of 5,885 students is the highest undergraduate resident enrollment ever recorded.
Within undergraduate resident student enrollment, freshmen increased by +37 students, sophomores decreased by -4 students, juniors increased by +64 students, and seniors increased by +158 students.
Enrollment increased in all three Mississippi regions — northern counties by +101 students or +2.5 percent, central counties by +73 students or +4.2 percent, and southern counties by +23 students or +2.4 percent.
Overall non-resident enrollment decreased by -12 students (-0.3 percent).
Non-resident undergraduate enrollment increased by +18 students (+0.6 percent) to 3,109. (Figure 7) Increases occurred in the junior class (+39 students or +5.8 percent) and the senior class (+61 students or +9.8 percent), while decreases occurred in the freshman class (-33 students or -3.1 percent) and the sophomore class (-49 students or -7.1 percent).
Non-resident law student enrollment increased by +5 students (+6.9 percent), while non- resident graduate student enrollment decreased by -35 students or -4.6 percent.
FULL-TIME/PART-TIME
Full-time enrollment increased by +150 students (+1.5 percent) to 9,872. Undergraduate full-time enrollment increased by +204 students (+2.5 percent), while graduate full-time enrollment decreased by -50 students (-4.8 percent).
Part-time enrollment increased by +35 students (+3.5 percent) to 1,044.
The proportion of students who are full-time decreased to 90.4 percent from 90.6 percent in Fall 1998.
MALE/FEMALE
Male enrollment increased by +136 students (+2.6 percent) to 5,296.
Female enrollment increased by +49 students (+0.9 percent) to 5,620.
COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL ENROLLMENT (UNDERGRADUATE)
Undergraduate enrollment increased in Liberal Arts (+123 students or +2.9 percent), Business (+142 students or +7.1 percent), Education (+54 students or +5.3 percent), Engineering (+8 students or +1.2 percent).
Undergraduate enrollment decreased in Pharmacy (-19 students or -5.4 percent) and Accountancy (-16 students or -3.4 percent).
GRADUATE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
Overall graduate student enrollment decreased by -95 students or -6.2 percent to 1,445 students. This is the smallest graduate level enrollment since 1988. (Figure 8)
Graduate student enrollment increased at the master’s level by +10 students or +1.2 percent, while enrollment decreased at the doctoral level by -66 students or -11.6 percent and in the other/unclassified category by -48 students or -31.2 percent.
BLACK STUDENTS (U. S. CITIZENS)
Enrollment of Black U. S. citizens increased (+92 students or +7.5 percent) to 1,320 students (a record high enrollment).
Black student enrollment at the undergraduate level increased by +111 students or +11.8 percent to 1,055, an all time high enrollment.
Black student enrollment at the postbaccalaureate level (graduate and law) decreased by -19 students or -6.7 percent to 265 students.
Overall, 12.1 percent of the students enrolled at the University are Black U. S. citizens.
FRESHMEN/SOPHOMORES/JUNIORS/SENIORS
Freshman class enrollment increased by +4 students or +0.2 percent from last fall.
(Figure 9A and Figure 9B)
Sophomore class enrollment decreased by -53 students or -3.1 percent.
Junior class enrollment increased by +103 students or +4.9 percent (highest since Fall 1991).
Senior class enrollment increased by +219 students or +9.7 percent (highest enrollment on record).
FOREIGN STUDENTS
Foreign student enrollment decreased by -14 students (-3.3 percent) to 406 students. (Figure 10)
Foreign students account for 3.7 percent of the total student body.
SECTION III
NEW AND READMITTED STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
OXFORD CAMPUS
FALL 1999
NEW UNDERGRADUATES
The number of new undergraduates decreased from 2,586 to 2,466 students or -4.6 percent.
New undergraduate enrollment decreased in the freshman class (-71 students), the sophomore class (-8 students), the junior class (-14 students), and the senior class (-29 students).
New resident undergraduate enrollment decreased by -55 students (-3.5 percent) from 1,591 to 1,536. New non-resident undergraduate enrollment decreased by -65 students (-6.5 percent) from 995 to 930.
The enrollment of first-time full-time freshmen decreased from 1,718 to 1,669 students. (see Section IV for a detailed discussion)
The average ACT score for the entering freshman class decreased from 23.44 in Fall 1998 to 23.32 in Fall 1999.(Figure 11)
New full-time transfer students decreased by -63 students or -8.0 percent to 725 students. (Figure 12)
NEW GRADUATES
New graduate enrollment increased by +15 students (+4.4 percent) from 339 to 354. (Figure 13)
During the period beginning in Fall 1995 and running thru Fall 1999, new graduate student enrollment has decreased by -105 students or -22.9 percent.
New resident graduate students decreased by -19 students (-11.6 percent) from 164 to 145.
New master’s level students increased by +30 students (+15.2 percent) from 198 to 228, and new doctoral level students increased by +8 students (+13.3 percent).
NEW LAW STUDENTS
The number of new students entering the School of Law this fall increased by +38 students (+29.2 percent).
New resident Law School enrollment increased by +24 students (+25.8 percent), and new non-resident law enrollment increased by +14 students (+37.8 percent).
READMITTED STUDENTS
The number of readmitted students at the undergraduate level increased from 335 in Fall 1998 to 374 in Fall 1999. At the graduate level, the number of readmitted students decreased from 66 in Fall 1998 to 55 in Fall 1999. (Figure 14)
SECTION IV
FIRST-TIME FULL-TIME FRESHMEN
DRAWING POWER AND SHOW RATE
OXFORD CAMPUS
FALL 1999
OVERALL
The enrollment of first-time full-time freshmen decreased from 1,718 to 1,669 (-49 students or -2.9 percent).
First-time full-time resident freshmen enrollment decreased by -26 students or -2.8 percent, and first-time full-time non-resident freshmen enrollment decreased by -23 students or -2.9 percent.
The institution’s drawing power decreased from 0.0344 to 0.0338. The northern counties increased from 0.0458 to 0.0504, while decreases occurred in the southern counties (0.0208 to 0.0183) and the central counties (0.0364 to 0.0321). (Table I)
The overall show rate of new freshmen (the proportion of applicants who ultimately enroll) decreased from 40.7 percent in Fall 1998 to 37.2 percent in Fall 1999. (Table II)
RESIDENT FIRST-TIME FULL-TIME FRESHMEN
Resident first-time full-time freshmen decreased by -26 students or -2.8 percent to 895 students. (Figure 15)
The number of first-time full-time freshmen from the northern counties increased by +10.3 percent, while the central counties decreased by -11.8 percent, and the southern counties decreased by -15.8 percent. (Figure 15 and Figure 16)
Among the more notable changes were those from Lafayette County (+26 students or +52.0 percent) Lowndes County (+12 students or +100.0 percent), Pontotoc County (-11 students or -55.0 percent), Tate County (-10 students or -76.9 percent), Madison County (-11 students or -22.0 percent), Forrest County (-12 students or -70.6 percent), Hinds County (-17 students or -15.2 percent), Panola County (-14 students or -48.3 percent), Rankin County (-15 students or -29.4 percent, and Jackson County (-20 students or -43.5 percent).
NON-RESIDENT FIRST-TIME FULL-TIME FRESHMEN
The enrollment of non-resident first-time full-time freshmen (774 students) decreased by -23 students or -2.9 percent. (Figure 17) Ole Miss continues to have a significant representation of students from other states. (Figure 19)
Significant enrollment changes of first-time full-time freshmen from the states in our immediate area took place in Tennessee (+21 students or +9.7 percent), Arkansas (+11 students or +20.4 percent), Georgia (-15 students or -20.8 percent), and Louisiana (-13 students or -14.8 percent).
The generous scholarship program instituted in Louisiana last year continues to be a factor in the decline of first-time full-time freshmen from that state.
The combined enrollment from our four border states increased by +14 students or +3.1 percent. (Figure 15 and Figure 18)
The proportion of first-time full-time freshmen who are residents remained at 53.6 percent as it was last fall.
DRAWING POWER
Statewide, the drawing power (the decimal fraction of first-time full-time freshmen at Ole Miss divided by the previous year’s 12th grade public school enrollment) decreased from 0.0344 in Fall 1998 to 0.0338 in Fall 1999. (Table I)
SHOW RATE
This fall the undergraduate show rate (the rate at which applicants ultimately enroll at the University) decreased from 44.5 percent to 40.3 percent. (Table II)
The Graduate School show rate decreased from 22.1 percent to 21.8 percent.
The Law School show rate increased from 11.7 percent to 16.2 percent.
SECTION V
ENROLLMENT HIGHLIGHTS
FOR THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS
OXFORD CAMPUS
FALL 1999
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
Total undergraduate enrollment increased by +123 students (+2.9 percent) to 4,309. ( Figure 20A and Table III).
New undergraduate enrollment decreased by -34 students (-2.5 percent) to 1,351 students.
Graduate enrollment decreased by -41 students (-7.0 percent) to 547 students.
Total College of Liberal Arts enrollment is 4,856 students, an increase of +82 students or +1.7 percent from Fall 1998.
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Total undergraduate enrollment increased by +142 students or +7.1 percent to 2,140 students.
New undergraduate enrollment decreased by -14 students or -2.5 percent to 546 students.
Graduate enrollment increased by +10 students (+7.8 percent) to 138 students.
Total enrollment in the School of Business is 2,278, which is +152 students or +7.1 percent more than Fall 1998.
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Total undergraduate enrollment increased by +54 students or +5.3 percent to 1,068 students. (Figure 20B)
New undergraduate enrollment decreased by -19 students or -8.2 percent to 212 students.
Total graduate level enrollment decreased by -39 students or -8.1 percent.
Overall School of Education enrollment is 1,509, an increase of +15 students or +1.0 percent from Fall 1998.
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Total undergraduate enrollment increased by +8 students or +1.2 percent to 653 students.
New undergraduate enrollment decreased by -27 students or -12.6 percent to 188 students.
Graduate enrollment decreased by -8 students or -4.6 percent to 165 students.
Overall enrollment in the School of Engineering remained constant at 818 students.
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
Undergraduate enrollment in the School of Pharmacy decreased by -19 students or -5.4 percent to 336 students. (Figure 20C)
New undergraduate enrollment decreased by -22 students or -27.5 percent to 58 students.
Graduate level enrollment decreased by -10 students or -13.3 percent to 65 students.
Overall enrollment in the School of Pharmacy decreased by -29 students or -6.7 percent to a total of 401 students.
SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY
Total undergraduate enrollment decreased to 450 students, a decrease of -16 students or -3.4 percent.
New undergraduate enrollment increased by +4 students or +4.0 percent to 104 students.
Graduate enrollment decreased by -8 students or -8.3 percent to 88 students.
Total School of Accountancy enrollment decreased by -24 students or -4.3 percent to a total of 538 students.
SCHOOL OF LAW
Law School enrollment remained relatively unchanged at 477 students.
The first year class increased by +39 students or +24.7 percent to 197 students. (Figure 6)