University of Cincinnati Welcomes A Record Class Of New Students

UC predicted a banner year for new students, and now the crowd of first-time freshmen at UC has soared to the highest number since 1989. As of Sept. 16, enrollment figures showed 5,129 first-time freshmen, with 4,017 on the East and West Uptown Campuses.

Caroline Miller, associate vice president of Enrollment Management, says the record numbers show the word is spreading about UC’s dynamic transformation of campus and the quality of its programs as a result of a new marketing campaign and the UC|21 strategic plan to guide the new urban research university.

UC also reports success in achieving UC|21 goals of recruiting more out-of-state students to the university, with the number of those first-time freshmen up 1.2 percent from the same reporting period last year. But UC’s local reputation continues to draw a majority of students from the Tristate, with 71 percent of first-time freshmen from Greater Cincinnati expected this fall. Oak Hills High School traditionally sends the most local graduates to UC and remains the number one school this year with 123 incoming students.

Thomas Cruse, associate provost for academic facility planning, says that despite the record crowds, students will find an open chair in class this fall. Cruse says classroom buildings that were closed for renovations are all up and running this fall – two-thirds of the classrooms are equipped with state-of-the-art technology as part of the transformation of campus.

A Demographic Look at UC’s First-Time Freshmen

• Students range in age from 13-59 with an average age of 19
• 53 percent are female
• 47 percent are male
• Represent 78 Ohio counties
• Represent 41 states
• Represent 35 countries
• 931 are minority students
• 14.2 percent are African-American
• 2.6 percent are Asian
• 1.1 percent are Hispanic

Academic Profile

• 19 are National Merit Scholars
• 77 were either valedictorians or salutatorians of their high school class
• 1,026 are Cincinnatus Scholarship recipients, the largest group of first-year Cincinnatus Scholars ever to enroll at UC since the scholarships were first offered nine years ago
• 10.3 percent graduated in the top five percent of their high school class –19.6 percent graduated in the top 10 percent
• Average GPA: 3.35 (Average GPA for fall 2004: 3.32)
• Average ACT: 23.8 (Average ACT for fall 2004: 23.4)
• 108 first-year students have already attained sophomore or junior status in college due to advanced placement credits or programs that allow students to attend college while in high school, such as UC’s Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program
• 180 are a recipient of the Cincinnati Pride Grant, in which qualifying graduates of Cincinnati Public Schools receive full tuition and book money
• 767 (19 percent) are enrolled in the Center for Access and Transition, which provides tutoring, advising and coursework preparation for students who fell short of entrance requirements for UC’s baccalaureate colleges