Fall semester has been an exciting time on the Morris campus, and even more so for Fall 2021 as students returned to in-person instruction.
The new class of students at UMN Morris is up 9% from last year, with 293 new high school students and 45 new transfer students. Most of the first-year students (79%) are Minnesota residents, but 25 states are represented in the class of 2025. About a third of our students (30%) will be the first in their family to complete a four-year degree, and 28% are eligible for Pell grants. The average GPA of entering students is a 3.5 and over a third (37%) of our new first year students are student-athletes.
Acting Chancellor Janet Schrunk Ericksen points to an ambitious and forward-thinking admissions staff for this increase. With 86% of classes in person this fall and even more in person for spring, the college will continue to reclaim the robust atmosphere gained from the irreplaceable experience of having students, faculty, and staff on campus.
Despite the myriad challenges last year, the first to second year retention rate for new high school students has stayed pretty steady compared to last year at 78%, as has the retention rate for new transfers (67%). Interim Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Melissa Bert notes that this relative consistency in retention rates speaks to the hard work put in by staff and faculty to create connections with students, and to help students engage with each other, both in person and virtually.
UMN Morris overall enrollment for fall 2021 is just under 1300 (1286), which is 4% lower than last year. Morris continues to educate a diverse student body: 40% of the degree-seeking students are from racial and ethnic backgrounds traditionally underserved in higher education.
Higher education across the country is facing enrollment challenges. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports enrollment among first-year students declined 3.1% this fall.