Total enrollment at The University of Texas at Austin increased to 51,032 students for the 2009 fall semester, an increase of 1,048 students (2.1 percent) compared to the 2008 fall semester, according to a preliminary analysis.
An enrollment report provided by Kristi Fisher, associate vice provost and director of the Office of Information Management and Analysis shows undergraduate enrollment increased by 810 students (2.2 percent), graduate enrollment, including Pharm. D., increased by 227 students (2.4 percent) and law school enrollment decreased by 39 students (-3.1 percent). The report also reflects increases in the undergraduate retention rates and the six-year graduation rates.
The preliminary report shows the university’s total enrollment figures increased for all ethnic groups. Totals for Asian Americans increased by 378 students (5 percent), for Hispanic students by 340 (4.3 percent), for African American students by 88 (4.0 percent), for foreign students by 127 (2.8 percent), for white students by 53 (0.2 percent) and American Indian students by three students (1.4 percent).
Fisher said the figures are based on 12th class day numbers. Final enrollment figures will be available in October, but there usually is little variation from the preliminary figures, she said.
The preliminary report shows the university’s student population for the 2009 fall semester includes 27,280 white, 216 American Indian, 2,280 African American, 7,913 Asian American, 8,270 Hispanic and 4,663 foreign students. There are 410 students for whom ethnicity is not known, an increase of 59 (16.8 percent) over last fall semester.
Proportional representation increased for Asian American students from 15.1 percent to 15.5 percent, for Hispanic students from 15.9 percent to 16.2 percent and African American students from 4.4 percent to 4.5 percent.
The report also shows an increase in the number of first-time freshmen up by 531 to 7,249. This figure includes those freshmen who entered in the summer and continued into the fall semester, as well as new fall entrants.
Fisher said of the 14,213 first-time freshmen offered admission for fall 2009, 7,249 (51 percent) enrolled. According to data provided by the university’s Office of Admissions, 78 percent of all entering freshmen were automatically admitted under Texas House Bill 588 (the Top 10 Percent Law). Of the entering freshmen from Texas high schools, 86 percent were admitted under the law. The average American College Test score for the entering class is 27 and the average Scholastic Aptitude Test composite score (math, writing and critical reading) is 1815.
The 2009 fall semester freshmen by ethnicity/race include 3,703 white (an increase of 188), 29 American Indian (an increase of six), 356 African American (a decrease of 20), 1,423 Asian American (an increase of 175), 1,503 Hispanic (an increase of 164), 231 foreign (an increase of 23) and four of unknown ethnicity (a decrease of five students).
The proportional representation of first-time freshmen increased for Asian American (19.6 percent in fall semester 2009 compared to 18.6 percent in fall 2008), Hispanic (20.7 percent in 2009 compared to 19.9 percent), foreign (3.2 percent in 2009 compared to 3.1 percent) and American Indian students (0.4 percent in 2009 compared to 0.3 percent). The proportional representation decreased for African American students to 4.9 percent in 2009 compared to 5.6 percent in 2008 and for white students to 51.1 percent in 2009 compared to 52.3 percent in 2008.
The report also shows that for the first time in two years there is an increase in the retention rate in the freshman to sophomore years (92.4 percent in fall 2009 compared to 90.8 percent in fall 2008). There also was a slight increase in the sophomore to junior year retention (87 percent in fall 2009 compared to 86.9 percent in fall 2008), but a slight decrease in junior to senior year retention (down to 81 percent in 2009 compared to 81.7 percent in 2008).
Graduation rates, however, continue to increase. The report shows four-year graduation rates increased slightly to 52.6 percent in 2009 from 52.5 percent in 2008, and six-year graduation rates increased to 80.7 percent in fall 2009 from 77.9 percent in 2008. Five-year graduation rates decreased slightly to 75.7 percent in fall 2009 compared to 76.3 percent in fall 2008.
