Six BGCT-related schools post increases in fall enrollment; three universities show drop_92004

Posted: 9/17/04

Six BGCT-related schools post increases in
fall enrollment; three universities show drop

By Ferrell Foster

Texas Baptist Communications

Six schools affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas reported student enrollment increases this fall.

Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio, an accredited theological university, enrolled 185 at its San Antonio campus, up from 171 a year ago. In its Baptist Bible institutes, enrollment stayed the same at 500.

Eighty-nine percent of students are in the school's bachelor's program, and 28 percent come from outside the United States.

Dallas Baptist University reports fall enrollment is up 3.9 percent, an increase of 176 students to a total of 4,714.

The record level marks the 17th consecutive year of growth at the school.

DBU has been adding buildings to accommodate its growth. The most recent addition is a three-building on-campus apartment complex that houses 250 students. A fourth building is to open in the spring.

East Texas Baptist University in Marshall enrolled 1,404 this fall, compared to 1,354 in fall 2003.

University officials attributed the growth, in part, to a new financial plan that guarantees no increase in student costs related to tuition, fees, room and board for eight semesters.

Hardin-Simmons University set a record enrollment this semester with 2,392 students, topping the all-time high of 2,374 in 1995.

It marked a 2.5 percent increase over the 2003 enrollment of 2,333.

Hardin-Simmons' Logsdon School of Theology's master of divinity program enrolled 95 students this fall, an increase of 30 students or 46.2 percent.

Minority enrollment is up 8 percent, and transfer enrollment is up 25.8 to 190.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at Belton enrolled 2,706 students this fall, a 3 percent increase. The freshman class declined to 477 from 508, but the number of transfer students jumped to 340 from 282.

The university's freshman retention rate reached an all-time high, with 70 percent of fall 2003 freshmen still enrolled.

Wayland Baptist University's enrollment climbed to 6,272 this fall, up from last year's 6,205.

At the Plainview campus, 1,057 enrolled, compared to 1,037 in 2003.

Almost one-third of the freshman class were designated “Pioneer Scholars,” which earned them special tuition scholarships based on entrance exam scores. Twice as many freshmen this year are participating in Wayland's honors program.

Houston Baptist University's 12th day enrollment figures were not finalized, but preliminary numbers indicate 2,231 students enrolled, compared to 2,334 last fall.

New student undergraduate enrollment at Houston Baptist University remains at last year's level.

At Baylor University in Waco, overall enrollment is down 138 students to 13,799, compared to last fall's 13,937.

There are 11,580 undergraduate students, 1,297 graduate students, 424 in the law school, 391 at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, 99 at the U.S. Academy of Health Sciences in San Antonio and eight in a physical therapy doctoral program at West Point.

Baylor's freshman enrollment climbed this year by 107 students to 2,785.

The freshman class also represents a rise in average SAT scores (1190, up from 1179) and an increase in minority students (30.3 percent, up from 25.5 percent).

At Howard Payne University in Brownwood, enrollment dipped 4.8 percent, with 1,318 students this fall compared to 1,385 in 2003.

Of those students, 1,145 attend at the Brownwood campus, and 173 attend classes in El Paso, Harlingen, Corpus Christi and Weatherford. The number of new students increased to 427 from 414.

University officials attributed the decline in part to sluggish enrollment at the school's extended education .

Howard Payne graduated a near record number in the spring–260 graduates compared to the average 224.