AUSTIN, Texas—Enrollment at The University of Texas at Austin is 49,034 this fall — a total that indicates the University may retain its ranking as the largest single-campus institution in the country.
The enrollment figures include 37,179 undergraduate, 10,475 graduate and 1,380 law students, and represent a slight increase over last fall’s total of 48,906.
University administrators say they are extremely pleased with the composition of the entering freshman class*, which shows substantial increases in the number and percentage of African American, Hispanic, and Asian American students compared to the fall 1998 class.
"I am delighted with the diversity of this year’s entering class and that we have been successful in returning to pre-Hopwood levels for African American and Hispanic freshmen," said Dr. Larry R. Faulkner, president of UT Austin.
The number of new African American freshmen increased to 286 (up by 87 students or 43.7 percent), Asian American to 1,217 (up 84 or 7.4 percent), and Hispanic to 974 (up 83 or 9.3 percent). The total number of entering freshmen is 7,040, about a 4.4 percent increase over last year’s figure.
New graduate student enrollment also climbed this fall to 2,805, an increase of about 7.6 percent, with African American enrollment increasing to 56 (up by six students or 12 percent), Asian American to 155 (up 35 or 29.2 percent), and Hispanic to 159 (up 17 or 12 percent). This fall’s entering law class enrolled the same number of African American students as in fall 1998 (nine students), and more Hispanic students (up by six students or 16.2 percent).
"The top 10 percent bill has helped create the good results we are seeing in the diversity of our freshman class. We have added Longhorn Opportunity Scholarships in selected high schools for top 10 percent students, and the combination of these two programs has been a strong inducement for students to enroll here," according to Bruce Walker, associate vice president and director of admissions.
The number of new freshmen in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class this fall is 42.8 percent, slightly higher than last year’s figure.
University-wide, the enrollment distribution by racial/ethnic group is: White, 63.5 percent; American Indian, 0.5 percent; African American, 3.2 percent; Asian American, 12.1 percent; Hispanic, 12.1 percent, foreign, 8.1 percent; and unknown, 0.6 percent.
These data are preliminary 12th class day numbers issued by the Office of Institutional Studies. Final figures for the 12th class day will be available in October, but there usually is little variation from the preliminary figures.
* Entering freshmen include those students who first enrolled in the summer and are continuing in the fall, as well as new fall entrants.
To see the UT fall enrollment data in table form, go to nr_enrollment2.html.
