The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has welcomed its largest freshman class in four years, with 1,873 new freshmen enrolled for the fall 2021 semester (2021-22 school year).
According to a recent press release: Total enrollment at the university is 11,447, with 10,804 students at the Whitewater campus and 643 students at the Rock County campus.
The figures represent preliminary enrollment numbers taken on the 10th day of instruction. Final figures are expected to be available later in the fall semester.
“We’re elated to see students once again engaged in learning in the classrooms and laboratories, and competing on the athletic fields,” Jim Henderson, interim chancellor, said in the release. “We know how important in-person instruction is to our students and 83% of our undergraduate classes offer them that experience. There is a wonderful energy permeating the campus this semester with many athletic and social events.
“While our overall enrollment is down slightly, the larger freshman class and other recruitment successes point to a positive trajectory for our enrollment moving forward,” he added.
The School of Graduate Studies is seeing it’s largest class in history, with 1,683 students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees and certificates, an increase of 116 students from last year, the release continued.
With the fall 2021 semester underway, UW-Whitewater already is accepting and processing applications for the fall 2022 semester. Students applying for undergraduate admission can do so at no cost, and ACT/SAT test scores continue to be optional as part of the university’s comprehensive review process.
The admission application also serves as a student’s application for many new student scholarship opportunities. Daily campus tours are available at the Whitewater campus and weekly tours at the Rock County campus.
New this year, UW-Whitewater is part of a $1 million initiative to help guide high school students in preparing for, applying to and enrolling in one of the UW System’s 13 universities. UW-Whitewater pre-college coaches will start this fall semester and work in Beloit Memorial, Beloit Turner, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Badger (Lake Geneva), Bigfoot (Walworth), Delavan-Darien and Elkhorn high schools.
“Our counselors are excited to engage earlier with students as they explore their college options across the UW System and find the appropriate education pathways that align with their career interests,” Matt Aschenbrener, associate vice chancellor for enrollment and retention, said within the release. “The focus of the pre-college pipeline initiative is to work with regional high school partners to identify and prepare under-represented and underserved students to help them be successful at the university and beyond. We are fortunate to be working with 8 of the 25 high schools involved with this project,” he added.
For more information on enrollment and UW-Whitewater data, visit the Institutional Research and Planning website at uww.edu/irp.
Following are some statistics as shared on the UW System and UW-Whitewater websites.
The table above, as suppled on the UW System website, shows the percentage change between final student headcount in 2019 and preliminary headcount in 2020. Schools showing the largest decline in headcount over the two years are: UW-Platteville (8.8%), UW-Milwaukee (5.4%), UW-Stout (5%) UW-Whitewater (3.6%), and UW-Oshkosh (3.1%). Schools showing the largest growth over the two years are UW-Green Bay at 2%, UW-Madison (1.1%) and UW-Parkside at 1%. Systemwide, the chart indicates an overall decline in headcount of 1.9%. The chart and associated links are found here: https://www.wisconsin.edu/news/download/UW-Preliminary-Enrollment-Totals-2020.pdf. Public schools across Walworth and Jefferson counties and UW-Whitewater began engagement with COVID-19-related learning systems in March of 2020.
The chart above, as supplied on the UW-Whitewater website, shows UW-Whitewater fall semester, 10th day enrollment totals beginning with the 2011-12 school year through to the 2020-21 (last) school year. Figures for the 2021 fall semester, which is part of the 2021-22 school year, are, according to a recent press release, as follow: Total enrollment at the university is 11,447, with 10,804 students at the Whitewater campus and 643 students at the Rock County campus. While these numbers are preliminary, and continue to show an overall enrollment at UW-Whitewater that is “down slightly,” an increase in freshmen enrollments show “a positive trajectory for our enrollment moving forward,” Jim Henderson, interim chancellor, noted within the release. The chart and associated links are found here: https://www.uww.edu/documents/ir/University%20Data/Enrollment/Enrollment%20Summary.pdf.
UW-Whitewater, file photo/Kim McDarison
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[…] with other schools, UW-Whitewater saw an overall deline, but with an increase in the size of its freshman class. (Some of these first-year undergraduates may be students who decided against attending […]