Preliminary Fall Enrollment Figures Released

An accomplished and prepared freshman class highlights Arkansas Tech University preliminary fall 2016 enrollment figures released on Thursday, Sept. 8, following the 11th class day of the semester.

The 1,591 freshmen on the Russellville campus of Arkansas Tech for fall 2016 completed high school with a cumulative grade point average of 3.33. Their average ACT score was 22.4, exceeding both the state (20.2) and national (20.8) averages on that exam.

“As the State of Arkansas sharpens its focus on retention and graduation rates, we are pleased that incoming students at Arkansas Tech University continue to raise the bar in academic performance,” said Dr. Robin E. Bowen, president of Arkansas Tech. “Recruiting and enrolling a diverse student body that has demonstrated the grit necessary to succeed in higher education ensures that we are proper stewards of our resources. The members of the Arkansas Tech Class of 2020 have grit, and now it is our responsibility as an institution to channel their perseverance and determination so we may continue to make progress on our goals of increased retention and graduation.”

Total preliminary fall 2016 enrollment at Arkansas Tech is 11,893 students. By location, Arkansas Tech enrollment is 9,852 through the Russellville campus and 2,041 through the Ozark campus.

“One distinguishing characteristic of Arkansas Tech University is our commitment to stackable degrees,” said Bowen. “The reality is that not every student is positioned to enroll in a university immediately following high school and complete a degree in four consecutive years. If we are to truly make progress in producing more credentialed individuals with the education necessary to elevate the State of Arkansas, we must be flexible enough to develop and implement curriculum that creates a wide range of pathways to success. As an institution that offers varied credentials from certificates of proficiency through a doctoral degree, Arkansas Tech University has those pathways.”

Visit www.atu.edu to learn more about Arkansas Tech University.