Partly by design, both overall enrollment and the size of the freshman class are down slightly this year at the University of Colorado at Boulder but despite the overall downsizing, ethnic minority undergraduate enrollment is up, according to census figures released today.
Following a record freshman class of almost 5,600 in 2003, a reduction in freshman enrollment to 5,000 was planned over two years to moderate the impact of rapid growth over the last 10 years, especially in the number of undergraduates.
The planned downsizing coincided with a reduction in non-resident applications last year that has resulted in a class with a higher percentage of resident students than expected, said Kevin MacLennan, interim director of admissions.
Lower non-resident enrollment was anticipated this fall as the impact of higher tuition for out-of-state students began to affect decisions by those students, said MacLennan.
The size of this year's freshman class rebounded from early predictions last winter as confirmations grew throughout the spring, from a once-projected 4,700 to 5,007 by the time the campus took the final fall 2005 enrollment census on Sept. 9.
New freshmen are down by 131 students from 5,138 in fall 2004, a reduction of 3 percent. While non-resident freshman numbers declined by 258, or 12 percent, resident freshman students are up 127, a 4 percent increase over fall 2004.
For new freshmen, resident students make up 62 percent of the class compared to 58 percent in 2004.
Overall enrollment for degree-seeking students in fall 2005 is down slightly to 28,624 from 29,258 in fall 2004, a drop of 634 or 2 percent. Mirroring the freshman resident/non-resident pattern, the non-resident overall total is down 587 or 6 percent from the year before. Overall resident student enrollment decreased by 47 students, less than 1 percent.
Minority undergraduate enrollment increased by 1 percent, to 3,572 from 3,541, resulting in an increase in the minority percentage of all undergraduates from 14.3 percent to 14.7 percent. African-American undergraduates increased by three to 397; Asian-American undergraduates increased by 32 to 1,532; Hispanic/Latino undergraduates increased by three to 1,461; and American Indian undergraduates were down by seven to 182.
Overall minority enrollment, combining undergraduate and graduate students, increased from 13.8 percent in 2004 to 14.2 percent this year.
The impact of Hurricane Katrina on displaced college students who had planned to attend New Orleans schools brought 142 new undergraduates and three law students to the Boulder campus during the past week through a special arrangement that allowed students to enroll after the usual deadlines had passed. Thirty-five of these students are Colorado residents.
Academic preparation of the 2005 freshman class this year is about the same as last fall. The average ACT composite score decreased from 25.4 to 25.3, while the average high school grade-point average stayed the same at 3.53, an all-time high. The average SAT score remained steady at 1176.
A total of 1,304 transfer students enrolled, down 10 percent from 1,442 in 2004. The number of new graduate students also is down, to 1,209 from 1,272, a decline of 5 percent. Academic preparation of transfer students also remained about the same, with an average 3.16 transfer GPA, compared to 3.17 last year.
Overall graduate student enrollment is down 3 percent, from 4,548 to 4,401. International graduate students are down by 66, or 10 percent, from 648 to 582.
Total applications for freshman admission to CU-Boulder in 2005 were about 17,000, compared to 19,300 in 2004. Applications from out-of-state students were 18 percent lower this year than in 2004, and resident applications were 3 percent lower than last year.
Among undergraduates, psychology maintains its position with the most majors at 1,884. Integrative physiology moved into second position with 1,046. Other majors with more than 800 students include English, political science, pre-journalism and mass communication, and molecular, cellular, and developmental biology.
Fall 2005 is the first semester for the Colorado Opportunity Fund (COF) stipends paid by the state of Colorado on behalf of in-state undergraduates who applied for and authorized use of the stipend. As of census date, of 16,624 degree-seeking resident undergraduates, 94.7 percent applied for and authorized COF, 2.8 percent did not complete the lifetime application for COF at the College Access Network, and 2.5 percent applied for COF but did not authorize its use this semester at CU-Boulder. Remaining resident undergraduates have until Dec. 1 to complete an application and authorize.
Web addresses with final fall 2005 census figures are listed below. All tables are limited to students with "state reportable hours" for FTE funding. Students enrolled only in courses offered through continuing education are excluded from all tables. Students associated with Hurricane Katrina also are excluded from all tables.
Overall enrollment: Total degree-seeking vs. nondegree-seeking, over time
By college: Degree-seeking only, by grad/undergrad and college, over time (students in two colleges are counted in both)
By new vs. continuing students: Degree-seeking only, by grad/undergrad, residency, and new vs. continuing, over time
Details: including diversity fall '05 vs. fall '04; degree-seeking or nondegree-seeking; tables on residency, college (first college only)
COF information: