Missouri State University started fall classes today with its largest opening day enrollment ever.
According to the university, 21,107 students were enrolled through the Springfield campus as of this morning—an increase of 773 over the first day of the fall 2015 semester.
The total includes 4,889 new undergraduates—the most ever.
Returning undergraduate students accounted for 12,306 of the total, up from 11,630 last year.
MSU President Clif Smart says the university has had significant increases in the number of first time students during the last three years. As those students return to campus, he says, it has bolstered MSU’s total enrollment.
According to MSU officials, while this year’s freshman total is slightly below last year’s, the number of new transfers is also a record and exceeds last year’s total by 108.
The college experiencing the largest growth was Health and Human Services.
Late registration will continue on the Springfield campus through Aug. 26, and registration in high school dual credit courses and other special courses will continue through early September.
On the MSU-West Plains campus, a total of 1,827 students began classes Monday morning. That’s compared to 1,619 students who were enrolled for the first day last fall.
Monday’s figures included enrollment numbers from Missouri State-West Plains’ extended campus in Mountain Grove, online courses and early enrollees in the dual credit/dual enrollment classes being offered this fall at several area high schools.
In addition to these students, 107 students are enrolled in the bachelor’s and master’s degree courses offered on site and via interactive television (ITV) by Missouri State University’s Outreach Program on the West Plains campus.
