OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

FALL SEMESTER HEADCOUNT ENROLLMENT AND PROJECTIONS

Enrollment at Oklahoma State University showed a slight decrease for the Fall 2005 Semester with a headcount of 23,461. However, in addition to new programs offered at OSU-Tulsa, the NOC Gateway Program, as well as dual admission and enrollment programs with TCC should have a positive affect on enrollment in the coming years. Another positive note for OSU is the number of new freshmen increased over the previous year despite raising admission standards.

The projections in this section are mathematical models based on past enrollments, past applications, 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. Because the OSU freshman class is made up of almost 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. They assume 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 freshmen has shown continual increases over the past years. For the Fall 2005 Semester, the out-of-state freshmen enrollment shows an increase for the fifth consecutive year. This is due in large part to continual bolstering of recruiting efforts in the state of Texas .

As predicted in previous years, graduate enrollment at OSU decreased for the Fall 2005 Semester. This is due to a combination of a rebounding economy and improving job market, as well as a substantial increase in graduate degrees granted over the past several years.

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 others 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.