OSU-Cascades reports largest first-year class

Oregon State University – Cascades recorded its largest first-year class in fall term, increasing first-year students by a third and serving a younger and more diverse enrollment, the Bend school announced Wednesday.

In total, 1,259 students are enrolled at the Bend campus, representing a 4.6 percent increase over last year. The cohort of 113 incoming first-year students dropped the average age of OSU-Cascades students from 29 to 25, and increased to 16 percent the number of students under the age of 20.

The enrollment report reflects a more than 7 percent increase in full-time equivalent students. FTE is the standard measure for enrollment across institutions, and the increase reflects students increasingly taking full-time loads.

More than 85 percent of OSU-Cascades’ first-year students are Oregonians, and 23 percent are students of color. The overall diversity of OSU-Cascades’ enrollment is 17 percent.

More than three quarters of undergraduate students pursue their studies full-time when combining credits from OSU-Cascades, OSU Ecampus and Central Oregon Community College. More than 300 OSU-Cascades students take at least one class at the community college.

New transfer students total 205, representing a 20 percent increase over the previous year. The majority of transfer students are from Central Oregon and previously attended COCC.

Fall 2018 enrollment includes 306 undergraduate students who are the first in their families to attend college – 31 percent of OSU-Cascades undergraduates.

OSU-Cascades students from Oregon total 88 percent, with 64 percent coming from the Central Oregon region. Twelve percent of students are from out-of-state, representing 30 other states, as well as eight countries.

The enrollment increase spread across disciplines, with the most popular majors reported as biology, business administration, energy systems engineering, computer science, natural resources, human development and family sciences, and kinesiology. The computer science program experienced the most growth in enrollment, increasing by 50 percent to 89 students.

This fall term marks the second year that the OSU Honors College undergraduate degree is offered at OSU-Cascades. More than 20 students are enrolled in the rigorous degree program, up from nine the previous year.

The average unweighted high school GPA of OSU-Cascades’ first-year class is 3.46. First-year students with a high school GPA of 3.75 or higher total 26 percent, a nine percent increase over the previous year.

In addition, 9 percent of first-year students came to OSU-Cascades with sufficient college credit to enter at the sophomore or junior level. Nearly 60 percent of first-year students earned college credit while in high school.

OSU-Cascades recorded 281 graduate students this fall. The counseling degree program is the largest, with 79 students. The low-residency master of fine arts in creative writing program has 24 enrolled students this fall. The average age of a graduate student is 38.

Ninety-one students are veterans. Of those, 65 are active duty veterans. The youngest enrolled student is 17; the oldest is 77.

More information about OSU’s overall fall enrollment is available here.

Oregon State University also announced its overall enrollment numbers Wednesday. Here is that news release:

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State University continues to advance its 150-year mission to provide access to a high-quality education by enrolling a record 32,011 students for fall term 2018.

Rising student enrollment at OSU-Cascades in Bend, in OSU’s nationally ranked online Ecampus program and in hybrid programs offered in the Portland area contributed to OSU’s growth.

Overall, Oregon State’s fall term 2018 enrollment grew by 107 students over last year, making OSU the largest university in the state for the fifth consecutive year.

Oregon State’s enrollment among graduate and transfer students, military veterans, and students of color also rose. Enrollment at OSU’s Corvallis campus decreased by 1.9 percent or 470 students. A third of this decline occurred among international students.

“Oregon State’s mission is to provide access to an excellent higher education to all Oregonians,” said OSU President Ed Ray. “We are providing a high-quality OSU education where students are located, and when and how they want to be educated. I am very proud of our expanding service to learners at our new campus in Bend, as well as through our more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered online, expanded service to the Portland region and the continued strength of our Corvallis campus.”

Ray said OSU continues to be a school of choice among Oregonian undergraduates with 13,620 students or 71.2 percent of OSU’s Corvallis undergraduate enrollment coming from the state of Oregon.

Oregon State’s fall enrollment includes:

24,290 students at the university’s main campus in Corvallis; 173 more transfer students over last year enrolling at OSU from community and other colleges; 229 more graduate students – a 4.5 percent increase from fall 2017; 6,565 students in Ecampus, an increase of 478 students or a 7.9 percent increase over last year; 1,259 students at OSU-Cascades, an increase of 4.6 percent over a year ago; 91 students taking advantage of offerings at the new Portland Center, located in the Meier & Frank Building downtown; 7,857 students of color, an increase of 197 students or 2.6 percent increase over last year. Diverse students now make up more than 25 percent of OSU’s overall enrollment; 1,162 veterans – a 10.9 percent increase of 114 students over last year; 3,410 international students, a decline of 146 students from fall 2017, mirroring a national trend among universities. “The diversity of Oregon State’s enrollment is mission driven,” Ray said. “It is essential that all Oregonians have access to a high-quality college degree, and that we connect our state to the people of the nation and the world through Oregon State’s diverse and inclusive enrollment.”

This fall, OSU has enrolled 7,857 students of color – Asian, African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or students who identify as being of two or more races. This is an increase of 197 students or 2.6 percent over a year ago.

In total, 25.4 percent of the Oregon State Corvallis and Ecampus enrollment identify themselves as a student of color, compared with 3,207 students and 15.8 percent of the Oregon State student body a decade ago. At OSU-Cascades, 216 students or 17.2 percent of the campus’ enrollment identify as being students of color. This represents a 9.1 percent increase over 2017.

Additionally, 22.9 percent – or 5,886 – of OSU undergraduates in Corvallis or enrolled in Ecampus – are first-generation college students, a 1 percent decrease from a year ago. Meanwhile, 31.3 percent of OSU-Cascades undergraduates are first-generation college learners.

Oregon State continues to attract top students. The average GPA of new students coming to OSU from high school is 3.59. Additionally, 492 students entered the university’s Honors College this fall, compared with 401 in 2017.

As well, of OSU’s new students:

22 are National Merit award winners, up from 16 last year. 183 of Oregon State’s new undergraduates were ranked No. 1 in their high school graduating class, up from 178 last year. 31 are Presidential Scholars. This fall, OSU’s international student enrollment of 3,410 students, or 11 percent of the university’s overall enrollment, compares to 988 international students – or 4.9 percent of enrollment – a decade ago. International students from 111 countries attend Oregon State this fall.

Oregon State’s commitment to graduate studies and engagement in research is evident with this year’s total of 5,287 graduate students–including students enrolled in programs in pharmacy and veterinary medicine–compared with 5,058 graduate students in 2017.

The number of fall first-time undergraduates from high school decreased 3.6 percent, down 144 from 2017.

At OSU-Cascades, 88.4 percent of the enrollment is composed of Oregonians, including 306 who are first-generation college students. OSU-Cascades’ enrollment includes 978 undergraduate and 281 graduate students. New freshmen enrollment at the Bend campus is 113, a 33 percent increase from 2017.

Engineering remains the most popular discipline at Oregon State. The College of Engineering has a total of 9,099 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled this fall. The next largest programs are the College of Liberal Arts, 4,202 students; the College of Business, 3,985; the College of Science, 3,636; the College of Public Health and Human Sciences, 2,634; and the College of Agricultural Sciences, 2,595.

Enrollments in other colleges and programs are: College of Forestry, 1,156; College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, 912; University Exploratory Studies, 851; College of Pharmacy, 399; College of Education, 317; College of Veterinary Medicine, 258; and interdisciplinary graduate programs, 823.

Oregon State’s Honors College enrolls 5.3 percent of all undergraduates, or 1,345 students – a 13.3 percent increase over 2017.

The most popular undergraduate majors at Oregon State are computer science, followed by business administration, mechanical engineering, biology and kinesiology.