UC projects record-breaking fall class

UC prepares to welcome largest total enrollment and largest incoming
first-year class in 197-year history when classes begin Aug. 22.

Aug. 17, 2016

The University of Cincinnati is on track to smash records again, as projections call for an all-time record fall enrollment of 45,000 students, including the largest first-year class in the university’s 197-year history.

This year is expected to be the fourth consecutive overall enrollment record for UC, topping last year’s all-time high of 44,251.

Estimates suggest that this year’s incoming class of 6,900 first-year students — up 8.9 percent from last year — is not only the university’s largest, but also among the smartest.

First-year students on UC’s Uptown Campus boast an average ACT score of 25.7 and SAT score of 1163, with an average high school GPA of 3.58, up from 3.471 in 2015. More than 1,500 of them are Cincinnatus Scholarship recipients.

The class, which is comprised of students from 33 states and 45 countries, also includes 55 National Merit/Achievement Scholarship recipients, up from 50 last year and nearing the target of 60 set for 2019.

“UC’s continued year-over-year growth is the result of a diversified enrollment strategy inclusive of growing the traditional direct-from-high school student, enhanced retention of the students we recruit, targeted distance learning programs and the quality delivery of graduate and professional school degrees,” said Caroline Miller, UC’s vice provost of Enrollment Management.

UC is also celebrating gains in retention, students seeking bachelor's degrees on the Uptown Campus and graduate student enrollment in 2016, according to early projections:

First-year retention rate: 88.7 percent (a record high, nearing the target of 90 percent set for UC's bicentennial in 2019)
Uptown Campus bachelor's degree-seeking students: 5,100, up 15.4 percent from fall 2015
Graduate student enrollment (includes master's, doctoral and professional degrees): 11,185, up from 11,033 in fall 2015

UC's final enrollment will be reported to the state in mid-September.

New campus renovations

With wall-to-wall windows, students can see nearly all of the campus from Morgens and Scioto hall rooms. Photo/Brad Feinknopf

Students returning to campus this fall will encounter new housing options and classrooms equipped for 21^st century learning, among other renovations.

Nearly 500 students will begin moving into the newly renovated Scioto Hall this week, the new and improved twin sister to Morgens Hall.

The $38 million glass-enclosed 152,846-square-foot apartment-style residence hall boasts expanded lounges on the ground level, more community space, as well as the choice of a double-single room or double-double room, now holding four students instead of three.

After a two-year renovation, UC’s Teachers/Dyer Complex welcomes back faculty, staff and students.

Bringing together UC’s College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) and Information Technology, the new Teachers/Dyer Complex provides a base for more than 130 CECH faculty members and 5,500 undergraduate and graduate students.

Building updates include an outdoor classroom in a newly designed courtyard, grab-and-go café, handicap-accessible 120-seat auditorium, conference rooms, state-of-the-art science lab, video studio and digital and multimedia capabilities in all classrooms, among other upgrades.

New services

In a new partnership with Women Helping Women (WHW), UC is adding to the range of resources available to survivors of those experiencing (or have witnessed) gender-based violence, such as sexual assault, domestic violence or stalking. Starting this week, an on-call confidential advocate/response from WHW will be available to the campus community. By Oct. 30, a full-time WHW advocate will be housed on campus in the Steger Student Life Center.
Moving into residence halls, learning the campus layout and purchasing books are all crucial first steps for new UC students. UC organizations are coming together to make sure students are also having important conversations about gender-based violence — which includes sexual assault, intimate partner violence and stalking — learning about everything from consent to survivor support from the moment they step foot on campus. The UC Women’s Center and Student Wellness Center, along with various campus and city organizations, are implementing a new bystander intervention program in a collaborative effort to combat gender-based violence and support survivors with additional initiatives centered on leadership development, consent culture and advocacy.
Textbooks can be expensive. That's why UC takes the approach of negotiating with publishers to get the best deal for students — but its efforts go far beyond dollars. Other strategies underway by the university include developing learning materials beyond the old textbook, utilizing the increasing popularity of e-books, a textbook rental program and offering a price match guarantee at UC Bookstores. Those efforts are paying off. UC's Textbook Affordability Initiative has saved students $1.9 million in textbook costs in just the past year.
Beginning Aug. 21, UC students, faculty and staff looking for a place to study for an exam, access a public computer or meet with a project team to finish an assignment will have access to the fourth floor of Langsam Library 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

New dining options

Caffeinate your late-night cram sessions with the new Langsam Library Starbucks.

Forget dorm room Ramen or microwave mac and cheese. UC students this fall will find a number of convenient and delicious dining options to chow down on campus.

Four new eateries are set to open Aug. 22, with options ranging from mouth-watering spicy fish tacos, chicken cheesesteak sandwiches and a loaded smashed potato bar to calorie-conscious choices like turkey burgers, salads and wraps.

Unique course offerings

Unique course offerings this semester explore hipsters, Barbie, skydiving and everything in between. Finding a balance between required courses and classes with personal appeal is crucial for any University of Cincinnati student. Luckily, colleges and programs across campus offer a fun mix of special-interest classes, many of which can count toward majors. Read more about some of these courses.

Welcome Weekend

Check out all that's planned for students as they return to campus.

Be a Bearcat

UC's Office of Admissions can help you find out more about how to become a University of Cincinnati student.

Visit campus

See for yourself why Forbes Magazine called UC one of the World's Most Beautiful Campuses by scheduling a visit.

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UC projects record-breaking fall class