Enrollment at Kennesaw State tops 23,400 for fall 2010

KSU continues its quest to become a national university

KENNESAW, Ga. (Dec. 14, 2010) — Enrollment at Kennesaw State University grew by 4.7 percent for the fall 2010 semester to 23,452 students –– up from 22,389 students in fall 2009 –– outpacing overall growth in the University System of Georgia and continuing KSU’s upward trajectory.

The University System of Georgia enrolled 311,442 students in fall 2010, up 3.2 percent over 2009 fall enrollment.

“Our continued enrollment growth attests to the fact that Kennesaw State is an increasingly popular destination campus for those choosing a university,” said KSU President Daniel S. Papp. “Discriminating students recognize that we are a well-respected institution on the verge of becoming a national university. In addition to our outstanding bachelor’s and master’s programs, an increasing number of students are drawn to KSU because of our growing number of doctoral programs.”
Kennesaw State now offers five doctoral programs, including two Ed.D. degrees – the Ed.D. in Teacher Leadership for Learning and the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership for Learning – as well as the Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), the Doctor of Nursing Science (D.N.S.) and a new Ph.D. in International Conflict Management. This past summer, the university graduated its first doctoral student with an Ed.D. in Teacher Leadership for Learning.

According to KSU’s Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services and Registrar Kim West, more high-school seniors are considering KSU as their first-choice college selection.

“College admissions and retention both are influenced by economic issues and unemployment,” West said. “KSU’s increased enrollment also is a result of expanded recruitment initiatives and continued student marketing – both of which are influencing the university’s name recognition and reputation.”

The university’s expanding appeal also is reflected in the growing number of high-school students enrolled in KSU’s joint-enrollment program, which is aimed at accomplished high-school juniors or seniors who simultaneously are enrolled in college.

The number of KSU joint-enrollment students increased from 125 in fall 2009 to 149 in fall 2010. About a third of these students tend to enroll at KSU as freshmen when they graduate from high school.

The average high school grade-point average for entering first-time freshmen at KSU was 3.21 in fall 2010, compared with 3.18 in fall 2009. Average, combined verbal and math SAT scores for this fall’s freshmen class was 1083. KSU’s mean SAT scores have consistently exceeded the state and national averages for freshmen over the past five years, and the averages for joint enrollment honors students were substantially higher.

This year’s enrollment report also shows continued growth in Hispanic enrollment at KSU, up from 5 percent in fall 2009 to 6 percent in fall 2010, while African-American enrollment remained steady at 14 percent for the same period. For fall 2010, there are 3,224 black students enrolled at KSU and 1,388 Hispanic students. Minority students comprised only 12 percent of KSU’s student body 15 years ago, but since have grown to 26 percent of the university’s student body in fall 2010.
Another enrollment population shift can be seen in the number of Cobb residents attending KSU, which decreased by 5 percent in the last five years. Several of the counties with high enrollment growth rates over the same time are not geographically adjacent to Cobb, including Henry (58 percent increase), Coweta (134 percent increase), Walton (331 percent increase), Muscogee (249 percent increase) and Rockdale (117 percent increase) counties. In the last five years there has been a 40 percent increase in students from Fulton County; a 103 percent increase in students from Gwinnett County; and a 64 percent increase in students from DeKalb County.

“Some of the big draws, especially for traditional students, are the expansion of sports and recreational opportunities, and the new dining hall and classroom buildings,” West said.

In August, KSU’s brand-new, nearly 200,000-square-foot Health Sciences Building opened. Known as Prillaman Hall, the $56 million building houses KSU’s WellStar College of Health and Human Services.

Last fall, the university became a full-fledged member of NCAA Division I, the top tier of collegiate athletics. New intramural fields and an indoor practice complex also were opened last October. In addition, last August KSU opened its first full-scale dining hall, a state-of-the-art facility that has become a popular gathering place for students on campus.

As Kennesaw State continues on its trajectory toward becoming a nationally recognized university, students recently voted to approve a fee increase to support a football team – a move supporters believe will add value to the school’s degrees, enhance fundraising and potentially further increase enrollment. As a result of the student vote, an Owls football team could take the gridiron as early as fall 2014.
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Kennesaw State University is the third largest university in Georgia, offering more than 70 graduate and undergraduate degrees, including doctorates in education, business and nursing, and a new Ph.D. in international conflict management. A member of the 35-unit University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a comprehensive, residential institution with a growing population of more than 23,400 students from 142 countries.