1997 Student Profile
Enrollment Projections
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
FALL SEMESTER HEADCOUNT ENROLLMENT AND PROJECTIONS
Enrollment at Oklahoma State University increased in Fall 1997 over the previous year by 149 students. Undergraduate retention rates have improved significantly in the 1990’s and will continue to have a large impact on enrollment numbers. For example, this fall’s sophomore class (Fall 1996 freshmen) is larger than last fall’s sophomore class (Fall 1995 freshmen) even though the latter was the bigger freshman class. This fall, OSU has 10,189 returning undergraduates in addition to 2,377 new freshmen, 857 new graduate students, 1,527 new undergraduate transfers, and 638 readmitted undergraduate students. The projections in this section are mathematical models based on these and other past performances. No attempt has been made to capture any of the “intangibles” which might attract future students to the campus.
The new freshman enrollment for Fall 1997 is composed of 84% Oklahoma residents. This percentage share is characteristic of the freshman classes enrolling in this decade. Forecasts for Oklahoma high school graduates show increasing numbers through the end of the millennium, so the percentage of Oklahoma residents in future freshmen classes should account for an increasing share of each new freshman class. The forecasts of Oklahoma high school graduates used in this section are based upon information from the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education. It assumes that demographic trends such as immigration into and emigration out of the state will remain relatively constant.
In summary, several factors affect enrollment projections at OSU. Some of these factors depend on policy decisions originating with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and some depend on recruitment policies set by OSU administration. The impact of these policies as well as changing admissions, enrollment, retention, scholarship, and recruiting practices all have a role in determining future enrollment at Oklahoma State University. The Office of Planning, Budget & Institutional Research will continue to monitor developments in these areas and assess their impact on enrollment.
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