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August 29, 1996

14 percent enrollment increase here reverses decline in big way, yields largest freshman class eve

A 14 percent increase in enrollment over fall 1995 has given Pitt the largest freshman class in its 209-year history.

Numbers are up for both Pennsylvania residents and out-of-state students, according to figures released by the Office of the Provost.

As of Aug. 22, the number of freshmen who were admitted to Pitt and paid a deposit stood at 2,841. The total includes 2,244 Pennsylvania residents and 597 out-of state residents.

In 1995, opening freshman enrollment for the fall term was 2,485, including 2,013 Pennsylvania residents and 472 out-of-state freshmen.

By far the lion's share of the new freshmen, 2,253, were registered in the arts and sciences, followed by engineering, 331; business administration, 204, and nursing, 53. Nursing was the only area in which there was a slight decrease.

Last year at this same time, 2,016 freshmen were enrolled in the arts and sciences; 257 in engineering; 154 in business administration and 58 in nursing.

Provost James Maher said of the record freshman enrollment: "I think it's a measure of the fact that we have been doing a lot of things to try to recruit students, including making improvements in our Admissions office and becoming more customer oriented." Pitt has become more aggressive in finding prospective students and keeping them, according to Maher, including out-of-state students who pay a higher tuition.

Maher said Pitt alumni chapters throughout the country have helped to raise both the profile of the University and enrollment by offering scholarships to promising high school students in their communities.

Recruiters also have been successful in recruiting students for the University Honors College, citing the number of Rhodes and Marshall scholars it has produced.

The record freshman enrollment should come as good news not only for members of the University community, but also western Pennsylvanians in general, according to Maher. Pitt ranks 19th among all institutions in the nation in the amount of federal research money it receives. That money in turn stimulates economic activity. The more successful Pitt is in recruiting students, the better for the region.

Maher added that three out of eight college-educated residents of Allegheny County hold degrees from the University. "Pitt's success has a lot to do with the quality of life in western Pennsylvania," he noted.

–Mike Sajna and Bruce Steele

Filed under: Feature,Volume 29 Issue 1

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