UA Little Rock sees large growth in first-time freshmen, transfer, and graduate students

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock said Wednesday (Sept. 7) it exceeded its enrollment predictions and is experiencing record-setting growth for first-time freshmen, transfer, and graduate students for the fall 2022 semester.

The school reported growth of 29% for first-time freshmen, while transfer students are up 8% and graduate students have increased 5%.

“This positive enrollment news reflects our commitment to provide an affordable, high-quality education connected to opportunity in Arkansas’ capital city and beyond,” said UA Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale. “I’m really proud of our Trojan family for making this a reality. Everyone has a part to play in the mission of student success and, across the board, I can say that everyone at UA Little Rock is leaning into this effort. We look forward to working with these new students and helping them reach their full potential.”

“UA Little Rock is experiencing its largest percent increase in first-time freshmen and transfer students in over a decade,” said Dr. Cody Decker, vice chancellor for student affairs and chief data officer. “In addition to new student enrollment growth, student success measures continue to rise, with fall-to-fall retention improving from 65% to 75%. UA Little Rock has a highly qualified incoming class of freshmen with an average high school GPA of 3.3 and average ACT score of 22.4.”

The positive increase in enrollment is attributed to UA Little Rock’s focus on college affordability, the university’s investment in the learning and living environment, and a commitment to increasing student success, school leaders said.

Compared to the fall 2021 semester, UA Little Rock’s overall enrollment is down 2.7% with a total enrollment of 8,103 for the fall semester. While overall enrollment is still down across many college campuses, UA Little Rock is outperforming its overall enrollment projections by about 3%.

“We have focused on making sure prospective students are aware of all the opportunities available at UA Little Rock, including the university’s competitive scholarship portfolio,” said Decker. “For example, one option for our incoming freshmen is a half-off tuition scholarship for eligible students. That scholarship supports our mission of making college accessible to Arkansans and was made possible by the generosity of an anonymous donor who gave the university $25 million dollars in 2020.”

UA Little Rock is also providing opportunities for nontraditional students. The university’s new corporate partnerships make it easier for working adults to go to school. Some of the new partnerships include the Amazon Career Choice Program as well as a tuition and fee discount for employees of CHI St. Vincent and Saline Memorial Hospital.