UA Enrollment tops 27,000

[yraciv]

I would like to see that link also because according to the recent results
THE University of Arkansas had the lowest % of students assigned to remedial classes at 7.4%.

Here is the chart and link for those who want to know more:



http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/jan/30/colleges-remedial-students-decrease-201/

Thanks for the facts! That was the one point in his argument I thought couldn't be right.  Our incoming FR whether in state or out of state are usually pretty bright.

[yraciv]

When I enrolled Fall 2006, the university was at just under 18,000. Unbelievable to see the rapid growth in the last 10 years.

[Hogs33]

From what i understand ( and could be wrong) Mizzou is down 27%... I wonder if the U of A as benefited from that.

[ricepig]

From what i understand ( and could be wrong) Mizzou is down 27%... I wonder if the U of A as benefited from that.

We limited our growth to 1% and increased our in-state a little, it's possible we picked up some from Mizzou, but it would seem to be minimal.

[factchecker]

From what i understand ( and could be wrong) Mizzou is down 27%... I wonder if the U of A as benefited from that.

https://twitter.com/EbnerKRCG13/status/767764479912321024

[woodhog14]

Russ and Hogsanity you are both right on target.  But there is whole lot more to these numbers and it gripes the heck out of me.   

I have read in the newspaper that half of the students at UA are from out of state.   The University waves 90% or more of the out of state tuition fee  for students from all over.... not just Texas, but Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi.

Now keep in mind that students only pay about 1/3 of the total cost of their education....who pays the other 2/3?  You and I the taxpayers.   So we our paying the cost for students from Dallas, Houston, Chicago etc,  who will go back to their home states when they graduate....thank you  Arkansas taxpayers.  I have read articles that showed a student from some of these states  could go to school at Arkansas for less than they would pay at their home state university.

Now for the courses being taught by graduate assistants.   The University makes a lot of money with this.   I have also read in the local paper that 47% of the entering freshmen at the University had to take remedial courses.    These courses are taught by Grad assistants,  who are paid very little compared to Professors, thus the school makes a ton of money.  Remember, you are paying 2/3 of that cost.  Those students should be told to go back to high school and when you have the required courses come back to see us.  But the University does not do that because the more enrollees the more the revenue.  (Your tax dollars)

There are basically three ways for a University to increase revenue.  Donations or grants, taxpayers and student fees.   That is why every University is enrolling students at record numbers.  They are also lowering the standards.  The UofA dropped Calculus from the required curriculum, because too many students failed it.  So they do whatever it takes to keep the enrollment up.

The lottery is one of the biggest waste of money in this State and I am not talking about the people buying the  tickets.  I am talking about the revenue being handed out to any student hand over fist.  They have made some corrections after wasting millions of dollars, but it is still  a huge waste.

Sorry for the long rant, but the whole educational system in this State  is very upsetting to me.  Probably, because I am a retired University Professor (not UofA) and I see the problems more than  some others do, especially our State politicians.

"The university made a concerted effort to increase the number of Arkansas students in this freshman class," said Suzanne McCray, vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions. "We did this while enhancing the academic quality of this class, which comes to the university with a record overall highschool grade point average of 3.68, and an ACT score average of 26.3. In this freshman class 25 percent of the students are in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, and more than half of them are in the top 25."

http://news.uark.edu/articles/35160/u-of-a-enrollment-tops-27-000-with-record-number-of-arkansas-freshmen

[elksnort]

My daughter started this summer and is in a sorority now. She loves it. The schools brand and ASU's brand have both improved dramatically. It's good for our state.

[ChitownHawg]

Our current University commercial that plays during games states "Where the world comes to do Business" is very accurate. I remember when we played Texas in the Texas Bowl, people on Shaggy Bevo making fun of this... Obviously they don't pay attention to anything that happens outside of Austin.

Funny in my travels I have run into UA alums and from many of the major schools. Yet not once from Univ of Texas. Maybe they don't have to leave the State.

Or maybe they have a crap business degree on top of over the top arrogance? Maybe?   

[AirWarren]

My daughter started this summer and is in a sorority now. She loves it. The schools brand and ASU's brand have both improved dramatically. It's good for our state.

Quality post. For a state this small, we do have some quality academic institutions.

[Inhogswetrust]

I would like to see that link also because according to the recent results
THE University of Arkansas had the lowest % of students assigned to remedial classes at 7.4%.

Here is the chart and link for those who want to know more:



http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/jan/30/colleges-remedial-students-decrease-201/

The saddest numbers on the chart are the % number of Arkansas college students assigned to remedial classes overall. Only ONE school, my Alma Mater, is under 10%. So does anyone else think the problems are before they get to college. I sure do.

[cityhog]

Quantity does not always reflect quality; despite the incoming ACT scores.

[Ash]

Awesome

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-05/student-auto-loans-hit-record-high-credit-card-debt-surges

record for student loans, which just hit $1.4 trillion

It isn't sustainable.

[factchecker]

Awesome

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-05/student-auto-loans-hit-record-high-credit-card-debt-surges

It isn't sustainable.

I'm not sure what the debt rate for all our students are but:

https://twitter.com/UArkansas/status/759133973612290050

[Ash]

I'm not sure what the debt rate for all our students are but:

https://twitter.com/UArkansas/status/759133973612290050

I was thinking more grand scheme of colleges (my ADHD kicked in). IIRC UofA is one of the more affordable large state schools which I think is a great thing.

[Inhogswetrust]

Quantity does not always reflect quality; despite the incoming ACT scores.

It looks like the quantity and quality are good at the UAF.

[ricepig]

It looks like the quantity and quality are good at the UAF.

I made a 23 the only time I took the ACT in 1975, and thought I was smart. My kids made better than that taking it in the 7th grade on the Duke TIP, lol.

[BPsTheMan]

Mizzou is fighting an uphill battle over what happened with their students and the administration over the Ferguson issue. The "front porch" to Mizzou voted to boycott games until the President of the University resigned. Many students in Missouri looked elsewhere rather than get involved in that morass.

The UofA numbers are up because of the lottery scholarship. A lot of kids that shouldn't be at the UA-Fayetteville are there because they can afford it due to the lottery. Educational quality as measured by real professors teaching the students is going down due to the numbers. Many (and I mean a whole boatload) of the courses for freshman and sophomores are now being taught by Instructors on a contract to teach 3 hour courses. If you have a a M.S. or PhD, you can pick up extra income (~$5000 per 3 hour course) teaching those classes.

seems "okay" until you realize poor people pull any semblance of healthy food out of their children's mouths to play the stupid lottery.

[Inhogswetrust]

I made a 23 the only time I took the ACT in 1975, and thought I was smart. My kids made better than that taking it in the 7th grade on the Duke TIP, lol.

Let's start a my kid is smarter than your kid thread somewhere..........

[Inhogswetrust]

seems "okay" until you realize poor people pull any semblance of healthy food out of their children's mouths to play the stupid lottery.

A lot of the food poor people eat they pull of of their kids mouth is not healthy food to begin with.

[ricepig]

Let's start a my kid is smarter than your kid thread somewhere..........

Nope, mine was a my kid is smarter than me......which probably didn't take much. 😋

[Inhogswetrust]

Nope, mine was a my kid is smarter than me......which probably didn't take much. 😋

Mine could have been a moron and still be smarter than me!

[Arthur pigby sellers.]

In case you are looking for specific details regarding the non-resident tuition discount program, http://scholarships.uark.edu/nrta/index.php.

If you are a "stupid" rich kid from out of state, you are going to pay full non-resident tuition.

The Arkansas Academic Challenge scholarship funding levels per year in school were changed to address students (that may not be college-ready) going to college for one year and then dropping out.  The money is now backloaded to years after the freshman year. http://scholarships.adhe.edu/scholarships-and-programs/high-school

I couldn't figure out how they define "stupid rich" on there.

[Hogtimes]

The saddest numbers on the chart are the % number of Arkansas college students assigned to remedial classes overall. Only ONE school, my Alma Mater, is under 10%. So does anyone else think the problems are before they get to college. I sure do.

The problem is those students should not be admitted. 

[HouSwine]

I certainly understand some of the misgivings some folks have about allowing out of state kids to pay instate rates, but I think the long term benefits to the state will make it worthwhile. Will many of those students relocate elsewhere after they graduate? Sure, but probably most likely for the same reason so many instate graduates have relocated elsewhere for years........more opportunity. Both as a visitor to NWA for games and such, and as a resident of DFW with many friends who have kids going up there, I have been pleasantly surprised over the years to hear of so many who find they really like NWA and decide to stay. Even if it's not the majority that stays, the overall numbers of well educated potential employees available in the area/state will be more from a 27,000 student university than a 14,000 one, which is about what I recall it was in my college days. For real economic progress in the state, it will be largely this base of employees who provide the bottom up impetus necessary. As a native and proud Arkansan, I hope that is precisely what happens.


Go Hogs!

100% correct. I am a U of A 1977 grad who was not "supposed" to be able to make it out of high school even...no less college. Recently retired from a very large energy company.

[Inhogswetrust]

The problem is those students should not be admitted. 

Maybe we should hold the schools they attend the Elementary, Middle, Junior High and High prior to them enrolling in a four year college more accountable as well as not let them enroll in a four year college. Those students should at least should be required to go to a Junior College first.

[Hogtimes]

"Enrollment at the University of Arkansas now exceeds 27,000 students for the first time. Preliminary numbers show that 27,065 students have registered for the fall semester. The university's total freshmen class, with 5,022 students registered, is also a new record.

The total number of students from Arkansas enrolled at the UA continues to grow, with 15,166 Arkansans registered so far, including 2,466 Arkansans registered as a part of the freshman class, a slight increase from the 2,432 freshmen from Arkansas who enrolled in 2015."

Let's see a link on the 47% of incoming freshman at the University needing remedial classes. The last I found had UOfA-Fayetteville at 11.5%, but it is a few years old and the incoming ACT scores are at an all time high now. I think you are confusing the community colleges numbers, along with UAPB, ATU, and UCA with what the UofA's rate is.

I found the article.  It was printed in the Arkansas Democrat on October 15, 2013.  It is Titled  "Remedial-class spending down".

It says in the fall of 2012, 47.8%  of the first time students required remedial classes in at least one subject.   It is referring to all of the colleges and universities in the state.  So that is my bad and I should have known better, when I said at the UofA.  However that does not change the fact that is stated in the article that the State spent $43.2 million teaching noncredit remedial classes to students who were not prepared for college.

That is the point I was trying to make.  That is a practice that should be stopped.  It is a tremendous waste.

You can find the article in the newspaper's archives if anyone is interested.

[ricepig]

I found the article.  It was printed in the Arkansas Democrat on October 15, 2013.  It is Titled  "Remedial-class spending down".

It says in the fall of 2012, 47.8%  of the first time students required remedial classes in at least one subject.   It is referring to all of the colleges and universities in the state.  So that is my bad and I should have known better, when I said at the UofA.  However that does not change the fact that is stated in the article that the State spent $43.2 million teaching noncredit remedial classes to students who were not prepared for college.

That is the point I was trying to make.  That is a practice that should be stopped.  It is a tremendous waste.

You can find the article in the newspaper's archives if anyone is interested.

And this thread was about the UofA-Fayetteville enrollment, so it really wasn't germane to it. As to the teaching of remedial classes, should these students be shipped off to a factory or farm to work? I agree that it's a lot of money spent, and that high schools should do a better job of preparing them. At a minimum, they should have to graduate from a community college before enrolling at 4 year college.

[DLUXHOG]

And this thread was about the UofA-Fayetteville enrollment, so it really wasn't germane to it. As to the teaching of remedial classes, should these students be shipped off to a factory or farm to work? I agree that it's a lot of money spent, and that high schools should do a better job of preparing them. At a minimum, they should have to graduate from a community college before enrolling at 4 year college.

except for 4 - 5 star athletes...........

[jgphillips3]

Seems like there were 13k-14k when I started college so basically doubled since 1987. 

[ricepig]

except for 4 - 5 star athletes...........

There's always exceptions.  😋

[WSPHOG]

I would like to see that link also because according to the recent results
THE University of Arkansas had the lowest % of students assigned to remedial classes at 7.4%.

Here is the chart and link for those who want to know more:



http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/jan/30/colleges-remedial-students-decrease-201/

Wow amazing what the real facts are vs what's been reported earlier in the tread

[GolfnHog]

And how many like us, living in Oklahoma but died-in-the-wool UA alums, live in a manner that is good advertising for UA. I am not driving to Norman (blech) to spend money at a restaurant prior to a ballgame. I am not buy licensed apparel for OSU. I drive by TU weekly but don't so much as stop long enough to owe them money for breathing their air. I plan on retiring in Arkansas (or Belize or Costa Rica, not sure at this point), and I'm glad UA is booming.

Right there with you Oklahawg. I'm native Arkansan, worked in Texas for 28 years and took advantage of being able to send my daughter to the UofA on the current plan for out of  states graduates with a high GPA and ACT score. She graduated I'm not going to apologize for it either. It was a system put in place to help the UofA as well as help students that wanted to go to the UofA. I suspect we will send the grand kids to the hill as well because they have  groomed from the womb to be Razorbacks.

  She graduated in 2010 and is now back in Texas because the salaries for educators is much higher there than surrounding states. (Not great but higher).