The UW System reported fall 2014 enrollment across all Wisconsin universities and colleges is consistent with past years.
This semester enrollment reached 179,017, a drop from last year’s total of 179,828, according to UW System release. An official admission total is scheduled for release in early 2015, and will factor in late admissions and drop outs.
UW System President Ray Cross said although the high school graduation rates are decreasing, there have been no adverse effects to UW enrollment.
“UW enrollment continues to remain strong despite the declining numbers of high school graduates and other economic factors impacting an individual’s decision to seek higher education,” Cross said in the statement. “College enrollments often spike during economic downturns and then level off as the economy begins to rebound. This is a natural, expected trend.”
Despite the economic and graduation factors in question, the undeviating number of students enrolled in the UW System holds true for nearly all of its universities and colleges.
Specifically, the number of freshmen coming to Wisconsin universities and colleges dropped by only 2.2 percent from last year, a decrease of 655 students.
UW-Madison’s final enrollment reached 42,903 students last year, with a preliminary total of 42,926 students for fall 2014, a change of less than 0.1 percent.
Enrollment at UW colleges is expected to increase by 0.5 percent, with the total increase reaching 14,122 students.
In mid-November, the UW System will release additional data concerning enrollment rates.
