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Student enrollment continues growing at UM-Dearborn

Published November 10, 2011

BY DIANE HAYGEN, Guest Reporter

Undergraduate student enrollment at the University of Michigan-Dearborn has reached record levels for the Fall 2011 semester, according to new figures released by the Office of University Relations.

The Fall 2011 incoming freshmen class, those who are experiencing the first time in any college (FTIAC), is the largest in 33 years. Likewise, this fall’s transfer class is the largest in 27 years, according to the university.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn has reported a 2.5 percent increase in undergraduate student enrollment for the Fall 2011 semester with 7,405 students, despite a tuition increase of 6.9 percent.

Since 2009 the university has reported 6 percent overall growth in the undergraduate student population.

Christopher Tremblay, executive director of Enrollment Management, cites “more aggressive recruitment strategies and tactics” and “working on increasing the retention rate” as partial explanations for the record increase in undergraduates.

The retention rate for undergraduates has increased steadily over the past five to six years, according to the Office of Institutional Research.

Community colleges have reported significant growth in student enrollment over the past three to four years, which has created a larger pool of transfer students for UM-D, as indicated by Institutional Research.

The largest growth in the undergraduate student population has occurred in the number of part-time students. Since Fall 2009 part-time student enrollment has increased over 13 percent, compared to a 3 percent increase in full-time student enrollment.

Official enrollment data from Institutional Research provides additional facts on undergraduate student enrollment at UM-D: