By: Chandler Nichols
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – The University of Arkansas has experienced record-breaking enrollment this year with 32,140 students.
The numbers were announced by Chancellor Robinson in a email sent to students. This is the third consecutive year in a row that the university surpassed their record-breaking enrollment numbers. This is due to several factors such as an 86% first-year retention rate, a record number of Arkansas residents enrolled, a record number of scholarship and grants rewarded, etc.
This year’s freshman class has the highest incoming GPA out of any other freshman class in the university’s history. With this, Arkansas has become a top 100 public institution according to U.S News Best Colleges.
Vice Provost of Admissions and Recruitment Suzanne McCray explained how local recruitment was a top priority for the Office of Admissions.
“We obviously recruit states like Missouri, Texas, and Oklahoma heavily but we wanted to target Arkansans because in past years the number of natives enrolled here were not up to our standards. We went to every high school in the state and told them that if you met our requirements, you will get in,” McCray said.
However, having this many students can present some inconveniences on campus. There has been an overflow of students which has led to parking and housing problems. Some students are living off campus in nearby apartment complexes.
When it comes to parking, there are not enough parking spaces on campus causing an increase in tickets and cars being towed. In addition, campus bus routes have also been strained. Busses have been filling up to capacity, leaving some students stranded and to wait for the next bus.
To combat this issue, students can download apps like Passio Go! to see bus routes availability.