Purdue Hits Record Enrollment
The tuition and fee recommendations will now go to the Executive Committee for a May 31 public hearing
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowPurdue University has hit a new record for enrollment at its West Lafayette campus. The university says the total of 43,411 students includes the campus’ largest freshman class, which is expected to translate into a new record for total graduates.
The incoming class of more than 8,300 students includes the largest number of Indiana resident students in a decade. The number of underrepresented students saw a more than 13 percent increase over the previous year.
"Purdue is strategically increasing enrollment numbers, but this extraordinary growth is unprecedented, especially with a population of such high-caliber students," said Kristina Wong Davis, vice provost for enrollment management. "We’ve been planning for growth, but when the incoming students’ spring deposits indicated the number would be even higher than expected, we immediately started to increase and support more advisers, teaching assistants, academic services and housing options."
The university says four- and six-year graduation rates increased to 60.3 percent and 81.2 percent, respectively, marking another all-time record. The one-year retention rate stands at 91.9 percent, up slightly from 2017.
Purdue adds summer enrollment this year also increased with a total of 16,696 students. Of those, 9,698 students were undergraduates, marking the second-largest undergraduate summer enrollment in the university’s history.
