Arkansas Tech University’s commitment to provide access to academic achievement regardless of age has yielded the largest enrollment in the 109-year history of the institution.
ATU has a preliminary enrollment of 12,071 students for fall 2018, an increase of 2 percent over fall 2017. The previous record for largest enrollment at ATU was 12,054 students in fall 2015.
The increase was made possible through gains in concurrent enrollment. There are 3,172 high school students from Arkansas gaining college credit from ATU this fall as compared to 2,473 concurrent students one year ago.
“There was a time when ‘traditional-age college student’ was part of the higher education lexicon,” said Dr. Robin E. Bowen, ATU president. “That label has become increasingly inadequate in describing the population at Arkansas Tech University. We are here to serve every student regardless of station in life. That is why we offer academic credentials ranging from workforce training to a doctoral degree and everything in between. We will remain committed to the notion of lifelong learning as the demographics of higher education and the needs of our state continue to evolve.”
Preliminary enrollment by campus at ATU for fall 2018 is 9,967 on the Russellville campus and 2,104 on the Ozark campus. ATU serves 11,121 undergraduate students and 950 graduate students.
The student population at ATU represents each of the 75 counties in Arkansas, and 93.3 percent of ATU students are from the Natural State.
“Student success through excellent classroom instruction and support programs is central to everything that we do at Arkansas Tech University,” said Bowen. “That focus has made ATU the No. 1 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) institution of choice among Arkansas high school graduates. Our commitment to student success is also reflected in the fact that ATU is ranked No. 1 in Arkansas and top 5 percent in the U.S. in providing graduates with access to a better life through social mobility. We are pleased that so many students recognize the value of an ATU degree and are pursuing their academic goals at our university.”
There are 1,727 freshmen enrolled at ATU this fall. The Arkansas Tech Class of 2022 completed high school with a cumulative grade point average of 3.3. Their average ACT score was 22, exceeding both the state and national averages on the exam.
“While we are pleased to report an increase in our overall headcount enrollment for fall 2018, we recognize that we must continuously evaluate our recruiting strategy in order to connect with prospective students who are a right fit for Arkansas Tech University,” said Dr. Blake Bedsole, vice president for enrollment management. “As a result, we have enhanced our scholarship budget moving forward and we are engaging internal and external partners to identify and saturate new enrollment markets for undergraduate and transfer recruitment. ATU is a great institution with a proud heritage of providing access to higher education. We will be working in the months to come to identify and communicate with students who are ready to take their next step at ATU.”
Visit www.atu.edu to learn more about Arkansas Tech University.
