MAILED: Aug. 21, 2001
EAU CLAIRE — For the 2001-02
academic year, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will continue its
tradition of attracting a highly qualified group of incoming freshmen. Notable
this year, however, is the admissions staff’s excitement over the fact that
the diversity of the class continues to grow, as well as the news that an
increasing number of students, including both incoming freshmen and returning
students, are interested in living on campus.
Charles Major, director of housing and residence life,
cites the great hall directors and resident assistants that assist and support
the students, the quality programs and facilities available, and the safety,
security and convenience of living in the halls as reasons for their popularity.
“I have 74 more contracts from new incoming students and the really impressive
number of 258 more contracts from returning students than what I had last year
at this time,” said Major.
Of the 2,099 new freshmen starting classes Sept. 4, 16
percent graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, said
Robert Lopez, executive director of enrollment services and director of
admissions. Forty-nine percent of the incoming freshmen graduated in the top
quarter of their class, and 97 percent of the group graduated in the top 50
percent of their high school class. All the percentages are within 2 or 3 points
of last year’s figures.
The average ACT score for the incoming freshmen is 23.6,
the same as the last two years. The male/female ratio stands at 38 percent male
and 62 percent female, which reflects a slight increase in males over last
year’s freshman class, but is still close to the overall ratio for the entire
university. Once again, seventy-four percent of the class resides in Wisconsin,
24 percent are from Minnesota and 2 percent are non-residents.
The class includes four institution-sponsored National
Merit Scholars and 37 Wisconsin Academic Excellence Scholars, who are students
ranked first or second in their high school class. In addition, 284 new freshmen
earned Advanced Placement Credits, totaling 2,217 credits and involving 510
courses.
Students earn AP credits by successful completion of
advanced placement examinations.
There are 170 freshmen eligible to join the Honors
Program, and 83 have chosen to join. The criteria for admission involve a
student’s academic standing in high school and scores achieved on either the
ACT or SAT achievement tests.
Lopez feels that the results of the recent freshman
satisfaction survey help explain UW-Eau Claire’s continued success in
attracting high quality students.
“UW-Eau Claire delivers on its commitment to provide
students with quality instruction and excellent academic opportunities, with
appropriate attention to new technologies to meet the changing demands of the
workplace,” said Lopez.
Accordingly, the impact of the Internet on the admissions
process continues to grow. This year 2,881 students applied via the UW System
electronic application on the Internet, an increase of 450 over last year, with
74 more incoming freshmen using the e-application (2,121 freshman e-applications
versus 6, 210 total freshman applications, or 34 percent). The satisfaction
survey of last year’s freshmen reported that 97 percent had visited UW-Eau
Claire’s Web site, www.uwec.edu, and 65 percent found it “very useful” or
“extremely useful.”
“More prospective students, both traditional and
non-traditional, are relying on the Internet to explore opportunities in higher
education, and UW-Eau Claire is continually seeking to upgrade its technology
and find new ways to serve students via the Internet,” said Lopez.
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NW
[Administrative Offices]
[News Bureau]
Janice B. Wisner
UW-Eau Claire News Bureau
Schofield 201
(715) 836-4741
newsbur@uwec.edu
Updated: Aug. 21, 2001
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