The University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder will welcome an estimated 4,950 new freshmen for the start of fall 2001 classes on Aug. 27.
This year's freshman class is 3 percent under last year's record-breaking class of 5,095. The reduction was planned by university officials in order to ensure on-campus housing for all new freshmen and to enhance the campus experience for incoming students.
ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ 100 new freshmen -- a typical number -- have petitioned to live at home rather than on campus. All others will be accommodated in the residence halls, which house more than 5,900 single students. In fall 2000, about 120 freshmen could not be accommodated on campus and were housed in the Sterling Peaks, Timber Ridge and Kensington apartment complexes near campus.
The residence halls also will house a small number of new transfer students, housing staff such as resident advisers and about 850 continuing undergraduates who reserved rooms in April. To ensure on-campus housing would be available for all incoming freshmen this fall, spaces reserved for continuing undergraduates were reduced by about one-third from recent historical levels.
The fall 2001 freshman class will include about 2,730 students from ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥, down from last fall's record of 2,822. ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ 55 percent of entering freshmen will be ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ residents. ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ 2,220 freshmen are expected from outside ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥, 50 fewer than last year.
ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder expects about the same number of transfer and graduate students as in fall 2000. Continuing undergraduate numbers will increase as the large number of fall 2000 freshmen become sophomores. Overall fall enrollment for degree-seeking students is expected to be around 26,500, roughly 450 students -- or 1.5 percent to 2 percent -- more than last fall's total enrollment of 26,035.
All of the increase is due to larger numbers of undergraduates continuing from prior enrollment.
The smaller number of new freshmen this year does not signal a drop in the university's attractiveness to potential applicants, according to Barb Schneider, executive director of enrollment management at ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder. Freshmen applications for fall 2001 increased by an unprecedented 18 percent, with a 26 percent increase from outside ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥.
All told, nearly 18,500 applicants - or nearly 3,000 more than last year - were vying for 4,950 slots in the freshman class. Freshmen expected to enroll in 2001 have SAT scores five to 10 points higher, and somewhat higher ACT scores and high school GPAs, than fall 2000 freshmen, according to Lou McClelland, director of Institutional Analysis in the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis.
In terms of future campus housing availability, the new Williams Village housing project is continuing as planned. According to Derrick Watson, project manager, it is on schedule for completion by fall 2003. The project is planned for a minimum of 400 beds.