OSU enrollment rises despite COVID-19 pandemic
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STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR/KAUT) — The COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed down enrollment at Oklahoma State University.
Enrollment is up by more than 360 students and retention is at an all-time high this fall semester despite the challenges created by a hybrid of online and in-person classes, according to an OSU news release.
This fall semester at OSU has a 1.5 percent bump in enrollment compared to fall 2019, the news release states. Also, there are slightly more transfer students this year, 1,346, and the freshman class is nearly the same size as last year’s 4,144.
“Although this is a difficult time for many as we work to keep safe and battle the impact of the pandemic, we are delighted that the loyalty and dedication of our students has resulted in increased enrollment and record retention,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “Our faculty and staff go the extra mile to welcome students into the Cowboy family and provide them a top-notch education.”
This new semester shows that OSU is retraining 84.9 percent of its first-time, full-time undergraduates who started at OSU last year – a 1.7 percent increase from last year, and .3 percent above the record set in fall 1999.
“It takes a village,” said Kyle Wray, vice president for Enrollment and Brand Management. “We feel good about being one of the few institutions that can point to being up in enrollment. It has been a hard, difficult year for families and the university, but we feel like we are in a good place. The admissions and financial aid offices have performed magnificently given the challenges they were under.”
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