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Texas Tech’s enrollment has increased 26 percent during the last decade, placing the school on course to reach an institutional goal of 40,000 students by 2020.
Texas Tech University established record enrollment figures for the third-straight fall semester as 32,327 students are on campus for classes. The number passes the previous mark of 31,637 from fall 2010.
“As evidenced in recent years, Texas Tech University has become an attractive destination for high school students,” said Guy Bailey, Texas Tech president. “We offer one of the best educational experiences in the country, and our consistent annual growth reflects the opportunities we offer.
“In the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, Texas Tech ranked sixth overall in students graduating with the least debt,” Bailey added. “Combine that with our inclusion in the Wall Street Journal’s list of the top 25 producers of college graduates, we offer a tremendous opportunity for success upon graduation, and one of the best values in American higher education.”
Both undergraduate and graduate enrollment increased this fall. Undergraduate enrollment set a record with 26,063 students, while graduate school enrollment is at an all-time high with 5,566 students. The law school has 698 students enrolled, the highest number since 2006.
On Course to Reach 40,000
The university’s enrollment, on the rise over the last decade with a 26 percent growth, places the school on course to reach an institutional goal of 40,000 students by 2020.
“Increasing enrollment is vital to Texas Tech University’s continued leadership in higher education,” said Kent Hance, Texas Tech University System chancellor. “We have placed a strong emphasis on this strategic priority and have seen significant growth in the past few years, thanks to our dedicated administration, staff and faculty, who truly make Texas Tech one of the best institutions in the country.”
Texas Tech also is committed to growing a diverse student population, which is reflected in the increase in the minority enrollment, including 5,305 Hispanic and 1,696 African-American students, reflecting increases of 574 and 279, respectively. Both are record totals.
“The continued growth of Texas Tech University, and specifically the extraordinary gains in its Hispanic enrollment, is the result of a strategic and sustained commitment to academic excellence and access,” said Juan Munoz, Texas Tech vice provost for Undergraduate Education and vice president for Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement. “Texas Tech has positioned itself to be increasingly a university of first and only choice for all students, and certainly Hispanic and other minority groups.”
Higher Test Scores
Enhanced recruiting and admissions standards yielded increases in average scores and overall freshman class rank. The average SAT score is 1107, up three points from last year, while ACT averages rose half a point. More than 22 percent of the freshman class ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class, an increase of nearly a percentage point from 2010. The percentage of the incoming class ranked between the top 11 to 25 percent is 34.1 percent, up nearly four points.
Undergraduate transfer totals improved to 2,492, up 41 students from last year, while the university’s first-year retention rate increased slightly from 81.2 to 82 percent.
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September 27th, 2011 at 8:38 pm
I am very happy to see our enrollment again increasing and getting closer to the 40,000 thousand student mark, especially when the overall acceptance rate is lower and the test scores are higher. However, I do wonder why Texas Tech feels it is so vital that the Hispanic student population increase so much as opposed to any other group of students. I have no problem with it of course, but shouldn’t the student’s background be irrelevant when considering their admittance? If increasing the minority student population is such a concern, why Isn’t the Asian student population also mentioned? Once again, I have no problem with a diverse student population, I encourage it, I just hope that in Texas Tech’s effort to increase the percent of minority students, specifically Hispanics students, that they don’t lose track of what type of students the school should want to recruit; ambitious, hard working, and intelligent students who will be a positive contribution to the school and it’s reputation.
September 30th, 2011 at 3:47 am
I am a new student in Texas Tech University and I am very happy to know that the enrollment of this Fall has been increasing. I am from Viet Nam, a very far country from the USA. I believe that TTU will soon reach the number of 40,000 student, earlier than 2020. For the first month studying here, I find it is very interesting and really professional.
October 3rd, 2011 at 8:14 am
I feel confident that the recruitment of Hispanics is not mutually exclusive with the recruitment of ambitious, hard-working, and intelligent students who will be a positive contribution to Texas Tech University and its reputation. I trust that the administration is simply seeking to let talented Hispanic students know that they would be welcome at Tech.
October 10th, 2011 at 12:47 am
I am a 6th grade student at Liberty Hill Middle School in Killeen, Texas. My future goal is to attend your campus, I graduate from high school in 2018. I hope to help out your record. I am in AVID and we are studying on colleges and universitites and before they can ask me what college i want to go to, i already knew. GO RAIDERS.