OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

FALL SEMESTER HEADCOUNT ENROLLMENT AND PROJECTIONS

Enrollment at Oklahoma State University increased in Fall 2004 over the previous year by 55 students. Undergraduate retention rates improved significantly in the late 1990's and will continue to have a large impact on enrollment numbers. The addition of OSU-Tulsa and new programs offered in Tulsa will also have a positive impact on overall enrollment in the coming years. The projections in this section are mathematical models based on past enrollments, retention rates, and forecasts of high school graduates.

Forecasts for Oklahoma high school graduates show numbers reflecting an overall decrease throughout the next 5 years. Since the OSU freshman class averages about 80% Oklahoma residents, these forecasts are the primary source of projection numbers for freshman enrollment. 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.

While the majority of OSU freshman are Oklahoma residents, the number of out-of-state freshman has shown continual increases over the past years. For the Fall 2004 Semester, the out-of-state freshman enrollment shows an increase of over 100 students. This is due in large part to bolstered recruiting efforts in the state of Texas .

Graduate enrollment at OSU has remained the same this year and is expected to remain stable for the next several years. Nationally, as the economy rebounds and becomes stronger, graduate enrollments may be effected by an improving job market.

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 Institutional Research & Information Management will continue to monitor developments in these areas and assess their impact on enrollment.