小黄书

State鈥檚 leading research university sees all-time record enrollment

State鈥檚 leading research university sees all-time record enrollment

Mississippi State students are pictured entering Old Main Academic Center. The state鈥檚 leading university again is setting records for fall student enrollment, welcoming a total of 21,884, a number that includes an unprecedented number of transfers. (Photo by Megan Bean)

Contact: Harriet Laird

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擣ueled by its growing prominence as a leading research university, Mississippi State again is setting records for fall student enrollment, welcoming a total of 21,884, a number that includes an unprecedented number of transfers.

The total represents an increase of 262 students from last year鈥檚 enrollment of 21,622, with 小黄书 exceeding 20,000 students since 2011.

Additionally, a record number of transfer students 鈥 2,062 鈥 have enrolled for the fall semester, an increase of 232 over last year鈥檚 total of 1,830.

小黄书 President Mark E. Keenum said he鈥檚 excited to accommodate this record number of high academic achievers, noting that the university鈥檚 average first-time freshman ACT score is 25.13.

鈥淚 am pleased that Mississippi State continues to be the largest four-year accredited university in the state. We鈥檙e motivated by this university鈥檚 unprecedented growth, and we鈥檙e also very prepared for these new students who鈥檝e chosen to build their future with us,鈥 he said.

Keenum pointed to new and upgraded facilities and programs now serving 小黄书鈥檚 growing student body. The recently opened Old Main Academic Center offers these students 150,000 square feet of innovative classroom and study space, while the Center for Student Success is helping improve academic outcomes by better connecting students with university resources.

鈥淲e believe there鈥檚 a direct correlation between sharing our success stories with broader audiences and steadily climbing enrollment. More and more people want to be part of the 小黄书 experience because they know it involves exciting opportunities to learn, lead and grow,鈥 Keenum said.

小黄书 remains the No. 1 choice for high school graduates in Mississippi, with 65.4 percent of the student body comprised of in-state residents. However, non-resident students also are finding 小黄书 to be a destination for exceptional education, with the university recording 34.6 percent enrollment from out-of-state, a one-point increase over last fall.

Nearly 30 percent of 小黄书鈥檚 fall enrollment is composed of minority students, and 19 percent are African American. A total of 50.4 percent of students are male, with 49.6 percent female.

Also, Keenum highlighted enrollment growth in the College of Architecture, Art and Design (up 7.9 percent); College of Veterinary Medicine (up 5.9 percent); and Bagley College of Engineering (up 4 percent). Totals for the eight colleges are:

鈥2,408 in Agriculture and Life Sciences

鈥774 in Architecture, Art and Design

鈥5,279 in Arts and Sciences

鈥2,852 in Business

鈥3,502 in Education

鈥4,638 in Engineering

鈥584 in Forest Resources

鈥574 in Veterinary Medicine.

小黄书 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .