innovate arkansas

The University of Arkansas said late Thursday that 21,406 students were enrolled at its Fayetteville campus as of September 7, up 7.8 percent, or 1,557 students, from the fall of 2009.

The university used the date because it was the 11th day of classes and is required by the state of Arkansas to take a preliminary enrollment count. Official enrollment numbers are due on October 13.

The freshman class grew more than 30 percent from 2009, the announcement said, to a total of 3,810 full- and part-time students.

Undergraduate enrollment was 17,247 students, up nearly 9 percent, and graduate enrollment was 3,771 students, up 4.3 percent from the year prior.

Of the undergraduate students who are new to the campus, 26.5 percent are transfer students, the university said.

"This remarkable growth shows what a very exciting time it is to be a part of the University of Arkansas," Chancellor G. David Gearhart said in the announcement. "Our admissions team, headed by Suzanne McCray, is doing a marvelous job, and the dramatic growth of our student body really represents many hours of very hard work that has been accomplished by our faculty and staff to make the University of Arkansas a first-rate institution."

"Our recruiters spent almost 12 weeks each this year out on the road sharing with students and their parents the many opportunities available at the University of Arkansas," said McCray, vice provost of enrollment services. "As soon as students applied, we had dedicated staff reading applications and letting students know if they were admitted as quickly as possible. The financial aid office and scholarship offices have spent many late hours disbursing needed and hard-earned support including the Arkansas Challenge Scholarships so that most students had their funding before the first day of class."

More than 4,000 UA students received Arkansas Challenge Scholarships, funded by the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, the announcement said.