<table class="contentpaneopen"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="contentheading" width="100%">MSU enrollment again hits record high</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table class="contentpaneopen"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="createdate" valign="top">Thursday, 18 September 2008</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"> <table align="right"> <tbody> <tr> <td>
</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>By BRIAN HAWKINS
Starkville Daily News
Mississippi State hit an another fall enrollment record and moved closer to breaking the 18,000-student threshold than ever before.
Enrollment features reased by the state Institutions of Higher Learning late Tuesday show MSU's fall semester enrollment at 17,824 students.
"The strength of our academic programs, innovative leadership opportunities for students and new on-campus residential experiences are creating an unparalleled interest in what Mississippi State offers," said MSU Interim President Vance H. Watson in a statement Wednesday.
"This is an exciting time in the life of the university, and we're committed to providing the best educational experience possible for each student who chooses to become a part of our MSU family."
This fall's enrollment constituted a 4.6 percent increase over the university's 2007 fall semester enrollment and includes 782 students at its Meridian campus. The new freshman class also hit an enrollment record with 2,489 students, an increase of 9 percent from 2007.
MSU surpassed the 17,000 mark in enrollment for the first time with the fall 2007 semester.
Among MSU's colleges and schools, the College of Arts and Sciences boasts the largest enrollment with more than 4,000 students. The colleges of education, business and engineering rank second, third and fourth, respectively, in enrollment.
MSU statistics show that retention of freshman students for their sophomore year hit another all-time high with a rate of 84.5 percent, up from last year's level of 83.4 percent.
"We're very proud that our student retention also continues to increase and that our faculty members are committed to helping students achieve academic success and stay in school,* Watson said.
MSU retained its status as the state's largest university, IHL enrollment figures show.
Ranking second behind MSU was the University of Mississippi, which boasted a combined enrollment of 17,601 students between the university itself and its medical school in Jackson.
The University of Southern Mississippi was third with a total enrollment of 14,801 students.
MSU boasted the greatest enrollment growth, with Ole Miss and USM following with overall growth of 1.6 and 1.4 percent, respectively.
The state's other five universities - Alcorn State, Delta State, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State and Mississippi University for Women - all saw decreases in enrollment ranging from .6 percent (MUW) to 12.8 percent (ASU).
Despite the enrollment drops at those five universities, the growth at MSU, Ole Miss and USM were enough for IHL to report a net enrollment growth of .5 percent systemwide.
A total of 71,161 students are enrolled at Mississippi universities, an increase from last year's total of 70,769.
The enrollment figures are unduplicated and count students one time regardless of their campus enrollment, IHL officials say.
"For 14 consecutive years, enrollment in Mississippi's public universities has increased. This continued growth in the number of individuals seeking a university education is vital to our state and is the cornerstone of the Board's goal to increase the number of baccalaureate degrees holders of even higher quality," said Tom Meredith in a statement late Tuesday. </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="modifydate" align="left">Last Updated ( Saturday, 20 September 2008 )</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>