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September 13, 2006

Quality of 51萝莉 students on the rise

The average ACT score for 2006 full-time beginning freshmen is 21.3鈥攖he highest it has ever been at 51萝莉. Last year the average ACT of 51萝莉鈥檚 freshman class was 20.7. Secondly, the average ACT for the entire student body increased from 20.4 last year to 21.0 this year, the highest in 51萝莉鈥檚 history.

In addition, since 2002, 51萝莉 has almost doubled the number of incoming freshmen receiving TOPS scholarships. More than 50 percent of this year鈥檚 full-time beginning freshmen received TOPS, the largest percentage in 51萝莉鈥檚 history.

As 51萝莉 continues to recruit students who are academically prepared for higher education, and the quality of students continues to improve at 51萝莉, the graduation rate should also rise, said President James Cofer. 鈥淲e are in the process of defining who we are as an institution,鈥� Cofer said in an address to faculty and staff earlier this year.

To accomplish this 鈥渄efinition,鈥� 51萝莉 must prepare students for the jobs of today and tomorrow, said Don Skelton, vice president for university advancement and external affairs. 鈥淲e recognize that our faculty and staff are the key to this transition, as we develop and strengthen programs to ensure the success of our students,鈥� he said.

One example of that effort lies in the new Bachelor of Health Science program. The program, which 51萝莉 expects the Board to approve this fall, enhances the current health science curriculum by providing students with a variety of career opportunities. Students entering this program may work in hospital management, pharmaceutical sales, or nursing home management.

With the increase in quality of students, as well as the increase in admissions standards implemented by the Board of Regents last year, 51萝莉 officials anticipated and planned for a fluctuation in fall enrollment, Skelton said. The enrollment drop was built into the budget; no programs or services will be affected.

The fall 2006 final enrollment for 51萝莉 is 8,571 students, which represents a decline of 490 students from last fall鈥檚 pre-hurricane enrollment of 9,061. After the storms, 51萝莉 accepted 214 visiting students, which inflated the final post-hurricane enrollment to 9,275 students.

Considering the enormous revitalization of 51萝莉 since 2002, Cofer is proud of what 51萝莉, through its faculty and staff, have accomplished in a short amount of time.

Cofer said, 鈥�51萝莉 is an extraordinary institution; our faculty and staff make our students some of the most competitive graduates in the state. As always, we will continue to explore innovative ways to ensure the success of our students during their time at 51萝莉 and beyond.鈥�

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