It is now official. The fall 2003 numbers for first-time entering freshmen at the University of Central Arkansas is the largest in the school?s history and the second largest in state history for public universities.
ÿÈÕ´óÈüÍøÕ¾?s total of 2,430 first-time students pushed the overall enrollment to 9,518, just shy of the university?s record-setting enrollment of 9,567 in 1993.
Comparatively speaking, the university had 1,787 first-time entering students a year ago and a total enrollment of 8,553. So this year?s numbers represent a 36 percent increase from 2002. Going back another year to 2001, ÿÈÕ´óÈüÍøÕ¾ had 1,698 enroll for the first time and a total of 8,486.
Only the 1997 class at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville had more first-time entering students than this year?s group at ÿÈÕ´óÈüÍøÕ¾ according to the Department of Higher Education.
Despite the huge increase in enrollment, the academic performance of ÿÈÕ´óÈüÍøÕ¾ freshmen remains strong. The average composite ACT score of ÿÈÕ´óÈüÍøÕ¾?s entering freshmen remained at 23 this year, while the state and national average continued to be 20.
-Tommy Jackson

