9-15-98

OHIO STATE FRESHMAN ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION ARE INCREASING

	COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University is set this autumn to 
welcome a larger freshman class than in the past several years 
that, despite its larger size, demonstrates academic strength 
comparable to 1997’s best-ever academic freshman class.
	
	“Even with as many as 200 more students expected, the makeup 
is going to be very similar,” said James Mager, assistant vice 
president for enrollment management.  

	Preliminary enrollment figures suggest the incoming class 
will number between 6,100 and 6,200 students, compared to 5,861 
freshmen enrolled in autumn 1997.  Enrollment figures are not 
official until the 14th day of autumn quarter.

	Columbus campus undergraduate enrollment is expected to 
increase this year as a result of the larger freshman class, an 
equal number of transfer students and a higher-than-expected 
number of returning students, Mager said.  He said the freshman 
retention rate is expected to increase 2 percentage points to 81 
percent for autumn 1997’s incoming class, attributing the 
improved retention to the students’ high academic standing.

	The average ACT score for the freshman class continues to 
rise; it is expected to reach 24.2 this year, over 23.9 last 
year.  The percentages of students in the top 10 percent of their 
high school class (26 percent) and the top 25 percent of their 
high school class (57 percent) are expected to match last year’s 
percentages.  With a larger class, those percentages reflect a 
larger total number of students at the top of their classes, 
Mager noted.

	A similar number of high school valedictorians is 
expected -- approximately 185, compared to 181 last year.  The 
number of freshmen placed in remedial math and English courses 
continues to decline “and is half of what it was in 1995,” Mager 
said.  Between 670 and 700 students are likely to be in remedial 
math compared to 719 in 1997, and between 360 and 390 are 
expected in remedial English, compared to 461 last year.  

	A decline of approximately 30 National Merit Scholars -- an 
estimated 72 this year compared to 103 last year -- resulted in 
fewer University Scholars (605-625 this year, 642 last year) and 
Honors Program students (1,120-1,150 this year, 1,179 last year) 
expected to enroll this autumn, Mager said.  University Scholars 
are students who typically rank in the top 3 percent of their 
high school classes and have ACT scores of at least 29 (out of a 
possible 36) or SAT scores of at least 1300 (out of a possible 
1600).

	The class is expected to include up to 150 Hispanic 
students, up from 114 in 1997, and between 340 and 350 Asian 
Americans, up from 321 last year.  The number of African-American 
students is projected to decline slightly, from 575 last year to 
between 545 to 565 this year; this is despite the fact that 40 
more African-American students were admitted this year.  The 
number of American Indian students is expected to decline from 23 
in 1997 to between 15 and 19 in 1998.

	More applicants were admitted for freshman enrollment this 
year because of expectations that the Asian financial crisis 
could cause an overall decline in enrollment, Mager explained.  
Basing expectations on data and historic trends, officials 
admitted enough applicants to reach the target class size of 
6,000 freshmen.  However, more admitted students accepted 
admission than expected, driving up the class size.  Because of 
the larger freshman class, admission was closed to transfer 
students on Aug. 15, earlier than usual.  Early registration 
figures indicate improved retention among the upper classes, as 
well, Mager said.

	“Because the numbers are up, the university faces the 
challenge now of getting students into courses and the residence 
halls,” Mager said.  Courses were being added to the schedule in 
early September.

	Of the estimated 8,150 undergraduates in the residence 
halls, approximately 200 will be assigned to temporary housing in 
study lounges, said Steven Kremer, director of residence life.  
Because beds will open up quickly as a result of nonarrivals, 
Kremer said many of those in temporary housing should be able to 
move into permanent rooms during the first week of school.  

	Though some transfer students and renewing students seeking 
housing after the deadline were unable to obtain housing 
contracts, all freshmen will have on-campus housing.  Students 
unable to secure housing contracts were referred to the 
university’s off-campus student housing services, and many found 
housing in the campus area with that assistance, said William 
Hall, assistant vice president for student affairs.

	Hall said the entire residence hall system has undergone 
approximately $26 million in renovations over the summer, ranging 
from painting and the installation of new carpeting and furniture 
to lobby renovations, roof replacements and elevator upgrades.  
An ongoing major Baker Hall project involving work on elevators, 
furnishings and finishes, and electrical and plumbing systems has 
resulted in the loss of some 160 residence hall beds in one wing 
of the building this year.

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Contact:  James Mager, Enrollment Management, (614) 688-5791
	  William Hall, Housing, Food Services, and Event 		
	   Centers, (614) 292-4251