[107] Record 25,188 Students Are Attending MTSU This Fall

Release date: Sept. 23, 2009


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Enrollment Services contact: Dr. Deb Sells, 615-898-2440 or dsells@mtsu.edu


Record 25,188 Students Are Attending MTSU This Fall


(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU administrators anticipated enrollment surpassing 24,000 for the first time for the fall semester. They never dreamed the combined undergraduate and graduate headcount would break the 25,000 barrier – and then some.
Enrollment Services officials recently submitted a record 25,188 total to the Tennessee Board of Regents.
In 2008, MTSU’s then-record enrollment was 23,872 students. MTSU has 1,316 additional students registered for classes this fall – a 5.5 percent increase – compared to fall ’08.
“Certainly, unemployment and the economy are driving many people back into the classroom for retraining and to gain the education needed for a change in employment,” said Dr. Deb Sells, vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services.
“Our headcount rose by more than 1,300 students,” Sells added. “Memphis’s headcount increased by a few more than 1,200 students. The remaining four-year schools each grew in headcount by somewhere between approximately 60 and 800 students. The quality of the academic programs at MTSU, coupled with the personal attention and exceptional student service provided, continue to make MTSU the fastest-growing four-year institution in the TBR system.”
From information collected by the Office of Records for enrollment services, there are 22,299 undergraduate students and 2,889 graduate students registered. These are increases of 1,047 undergrads (4.9 percent increase) and 269 graduate students (10.3 percent increase), respectively.
There are 3,596 first-time freshmen (140 more than ’08) and 2,137 new transfers (202 more than ’08). MTSU has 16,946 returning students, an increase of 764 from a year ago.
Soaring past 24K to 25K “means that MTSU continues to do an exceptional job of focusing primarily on quality academic programs and quality student learning experiences,” Sells said. “… We are driven by the pursuit of quality in the types of students we enroll, the academic programs that we offer and in the kind of experiences students have as a part of this academic community.
“Growth is an outcome of demand to be a part of this high-quality institution. I think that MTSU understands that if we do the right things to create a first-rate learning environment, then reasonable growth will be a natural byproduct.”
Sells said MTSU administrators “continue to see a payoff to our focus on increasing retention and successful graduation of our students,” she said. “Our increase in our number of returning students was more than double the number of new transfer and new freshmen students combined.
“The entire university has made a priority of improving the academic advising process and increasing academic support services for students. Again, it’s an example of how focusing on the quality of the student experience naturally influences enrollment. As terrific as it is to be the number one choice of so many new students, nothing makes me happier than seeing this evidence of how we are improving the experience and the success of our already enrolled students.”

For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.

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MTSU Enrollment Comparisons
(As of Sept. 21)

Fall 2008 Fall 2009 Net +/-


Total enrollment 23,872 25,188 1,316 (5.5%)


Undergraduate students 21,252 22,299 1,047
Graduate students 2,620 2,889 269

Summary of New Students

First-time freshmen 3,456 3,596 140
New transfers 1,935 2,137 197
New undergraduate special 34 37 3
New graduates 698 816 118

Summary of Returning Students
Freshmen 1,913 1,824 -89
Sophomores 3,489 3,667 178
Juniors 3,472 3,799 327
Seniors 5,608 5,737 129
Undergraduate special 52 108 56
Total graduates 1,648 1,811 163
Total returnees 16,182 16,946 764






Summary of Re-enrollees
Freshmen 241 270 29
Sophomores 297 300 3
Juniors 280 256 -24
Seniors 459 538 79
Undergraduate special 4 4 0
Total graduates 274 262 -12

Additional Data

Concurrent high school* 12 26 14
* — Currently enrolled high-school students taking courses for college credit

Source: MTSU Enrollment Services



MTSU enrollment 2000-09

2009 – 25,188
2008 – 23,872
2007 – 23,246
2006 – 22,863
2005 – 22,554
2004 – 22,322
2003 – 21,744
2002 – 21,163
2001 – 20,073
2000 – 19,121


Source: MTSU Enrollment Services