Number of New First-Year Students Up 12 Percent, Total Enrollment Tops 7,000

The bike racks are full, Houghton's rush minute is a few seconds longer and there's a good reason why. More first-time freshmen are coming to Michigan Technological University this fall—and total enrollment is higher—than at any time since 1983.

The numbers are buoyed in part by a boomlet in the number of 2008 Michigan high school graduates. "The increase in incoming freshman enrollment at Michigan's public universities is up about 4 percent overall," said John Lehman, the University's assistant vice president for enrollment services.

Michigan Tech's 12 percent increase, from 1,223 in fall 2007 to 1,365 this year, is driven by more than demographics, however. "Our students tell us they find us because of our academic reputation, the quality of the faculty and our job placement rate. They choose us because of our location and the friendliness of the campus community." Lehman said. "We made a conscious effort to promote our location, emphasizing recreational opportunities and the small-town atmosphere. In addition, we have targeted our financial aid at students who both need it the most and are most likely to succeed at the University."

Including transfer students, the total number of new undergraduates is 1,580, up 9 percent from 2007. The number of new female students has increased from 341 to 366.

Meanwhile, the quality of new undergrads by standard measures remains strong, Lehman said. The average ACT composite score for incoming freshmen holds steady at 25.6, with a slight increase in the ACT English score, from 24.2. to 24.4.

Enrollment in many bachelor's degree programs is up substantially, particularly environmental engineering, biomedical engineering, exercise science and computer science. New programs in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts are also a draw for students, Lehman said.

Total undergraduate enrollment is on the rise as well, up 3 percent to 6,033, due both to the surge in new students and a continued strong retention rate. And the number of graduate students is also up 9 percent, from 900 in 2007 to 981, hiking the University's total enrollment of both graduate and undergraduate students by 276 to 7,014, the highest in 25 years.

Since 2004 total enrollment at the university has grown by 468 students, over 7 percent. On-campus enrollment has increased by 14 percent, or 843 students.

"Our 2006 enrollment plan set the goal of 7,000 students by 2010. Beating that goal by two years is an indicator of this institution's vitality," Michigan Tech President Glenn D. Mroz said.

Jacqueline Huntoon, dean of the Graduate School, credits in part more-intensive recruitment efforts for the fact that more PhD and master's students are coming to Michigan Tech. In addition, faculty research has attracted more outside support, providing better funding for students. And a new University policy has resulted in higher stipends over a longer period of time, making graduate education more attractive and affordable.

The number of first-time master's students is up to 155 from 129, a 20 percent increase, with the number of entering PhD students showing a slight decline, from 72 to 67.

"We hope to see those PhD numbers rise," Huntoon said. "Doctoral students are here the longest, do the most research and often make a major contribution to their discipline, so as a group they can make a huge impact on the University's reputation," she said.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.