Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State today announced an enrollment of 17,824, a 4.6 percent increase from the previous year and the highest in the university's history. The university last year announced it had for the first time surpassed the 17,000-mark.
"The strength of our academic programs, innovative leadership opportunities for students and new on-campus residential experiences are creating an unparalleled interest in what Mississippi State offers," said MSU Interim President Vance H. Watson.
"This is an exciting time in the life of the university, and we're committed to providing the best educational experience possible for each student who chooses to become a part of our MSU family."
Fall enrollment included a record freshman class of 2,489, an increase of 9 percent from the previous year, and a Meridian Campus enrollment of 782.
The College of Arts and Sciences continues to be the university's largest, with more than 4,000 students, followed by the colleges of education, business and engineering.
"We're very proud that our student retention also continues to increase and that our faculty members are committed to helping students achieve academic success and stay in school," Watson said.
Freshman-to-sophomore retention increased to 84.5 percent, up from 83.4 percent, and an all-time high.
Current enrollment includes:
--A student body that is 20 percent African-American.
--76 percent of students are from Mississippi.
--A freshman ACT average of 23.6.
--Some 51 percent of students are male, and 49 percent are female.
--A graduation rate that is approaching 60 percent.
"We're particularly proud of our Shackouls Honors College, which has a fall enrollment of 1,317 students, including just over 500 freshmen," Watson said. "Among those students, the average ACT score is 29.6."
Housed in Griffis Hall in the newly named Zacharias Village, the college has added an additional nine courses and has awarded 17 undergraduate research stipends, Watson said.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.