The University of Missouri is experiencing its highest enrollment on record. The student population has increased slightly from a year ago, surpassing 35,000 students for the first time.
The number of minority and international students on campus increased, with each group growing by about 100 students this fall.
The student body includes 27,589 undergraduates, 6,266 graduate students and 1,195 professional students. This year’s freshman class of 6,211 is the fourth-largest in school history.
Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin says recruiting is important, but so is retention.
“It’s a combination of many things, it’s financial, academic and social. So you have a variety of factors in here,” says Loftin. “We try to tackle all of those as best as we can.”
A record retention rate is credited as one of the factors in the growth. Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin says retention is a major focus.
“We need to be better. We’re getting about 80%, on the average, of our freshmen returning for their sophomore year. It should be over 90,” says Loftin.
Fall classes at Mizzou started today.
Brad Tregnago of KSSZ contributed to this story.