UMR is experiencing dramatic enrollment growth at a time when student interest in science, computing and engineering has fallen to an all-time low.

The official fall 2006 enrollment numbers show an increase for the sixth consecutive year. A total of 5,858 students are currently enrolled for the fall semester. That figure represents a 4.6 percent increase over last fall’s enrollment and a 27 percent growth over the 4,625 students attending in the fall 2000 semester.

Since 2000, undergraduate enrollment has grown 22 percent and graduate enrollment has grown 45 percent, while the average ACT/SAT scores continue to stay in the nation’s upper 10 percent.

UMR has also achieved record growth of female and minority students this fall, with 600 non-Caucasian students enrolled, up from 377 in the fall of 2000. The 382 Hispanic and African-American students represent a 69 percent increase since fall 2000 and establishes a new school enrollment record.

UMR’s online and distance education programs have also grown, doubling in size since 2000. Currently, 453 graduate students are completing master’s or doctorate degree programs over the internet or at the St. Louis and Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., education sites.

UMR’s retention rate has also been on the rise, with 87 percent of students returning after their first year, a leap from the 76 percent retention average of all Ph.D. granting institutions.

“We have at least 28 programs to assist in student success and retention at UMR,” says Jay Goff, dean of enrollment management. “Student retention is key to keeping a high number of quality students at UMR. We pride ourselves on offering strategic retention intervention through advising, academic alerts and pre-college transition programs.”