An orientation group waits for its next activity. Two additional 200-student orientation programs have been added to accommodate the increased population of incoming students.

As of June 10, the numbers in all categories of student applications and enrollments for fall ’08 are up at the Lowell campus. Undergraduate numbers have increased by 29 percent over last year at this time. Graduate admissions are up 30 percent.

Additionally, the campus is projecting a 5 percent to 7 percent increase in the number of students who will be returning in the fall.

The number of freshmen who have committed to attending UML this fall is up 25 percent over last year to 1,558. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is no longer accepting freshman applications; students applying after May 5 have been put on a wait list. The number of committed transfer students is up by 44 percent to 482. Transfer applications will continue to be processed through the first of August.

“We have an opportunity to shape the incoming undergraduate class, so we are being strategic in our acceptances,” says Kerri Mead, director of Undergraduate Admissions. “The quality of the incoming class is also up this year.”

The overall grade point average of admitted freshmen increased to 3.24 from 3.10 last year. Additionally, UML has 23 Commonwealth Scholars (minimum qualifications are a 1400 SAT and a 3.75 GPA), up from 14 last year. Further, the jump in numbers comes in a year when admissions standards increased in business administration, engineering, sciences, undeclared health, community health education and exercise physiology.

Chemistry enrollments are particularly noteworthy. Last year there were 13 total deposits paid by incoming students at this time. This year there are 32.

Diversity among incoming undergraduate students is up 65 percent over last year, to 418. 

Graduate admissions for fall ’08 have increased by 30 percent to 874 incoming students. The number of incoming master’s students is up 23 percent to 630. The number of incoming doctoral students is up 50 percent to 244.

Graduate certificate applications are up by 17 percent. The Office of Graduate Admissions has matriculated 86 undergraduate students into a bachelor’s/master’s accelerated programs.

What factors account for the significant jump in new student numbers?

“For undergraduates, there is something of a perfect storm of factors that have contributed to this situation,” says Thomas Taylor, dean of Enrollment Management and Student Success.  “All the factors have lined up.

“This is the year with the highest number of high school graduates in Massachusetts, we have a new chancellor who has brought a lot of visibility to the campus and we have applied some new marketing strategies to targeted groups of students.  Regarding transfer students, we went from having, effectively, one full-time person a year ago to three full-time people this year, which allowed us to focus more attention on prospects.

“Additionally, our financial aid packages were the strongest we’ve ever sent out. We’ve also worked with Residence Life to assign and notify students earlier about housing. Admissions and financial aid offices have worked together to develop the Director’s Scholarships, which use un-awarded merit money as difference-maker scholarships to high achieving students.”

“The increase in graduate admissions,” says Linda Southworth, director of Graduate Admissions, “is closely related to the fact that we offer 55 graduate certificates.  Certificate applications are up 17 percent, and many students are going on to a master’s program from the certificate.  Increased on-line offerings through CSCE have made UML more attractive to graduate students. We’ve also updated technology within graduate admissions so we can process applications and inform applicants sooner.”