By Sean Kranske, Contributing Writer
This semester, 2,317 students are enrolled at West Liberty University. While this number is slightly lower (1.5 percent) than last year’s enrollment numbers, there is still in increase in the amount of new students who began attending West Liberty this semester.
The overall enrollment numbers may not seem too positive, but there has actually been an increase in the amount of transfer and freshmen students this semester, which could mean even higher enrollment numbers in the future.
There are currently 436 freshmen students, which is a seven percent increase since last semester. Likewise, there is a 23 percent increase in the amount of transfer students, of which there are 175 students. There are also 111 new graduate students, which results in a 41 percent increase.
Despite the small decrease in overall enrollment, the increases in various areas could indicate an increase in overall enrollment going forward.
“The increase in enrollment could mean very good things going forward,” Vice President of Student Services Scott Cook explained. “This includes a possible overall increase for next semester.”
The small overall decrease is simply a result of a large number of graduates last semester, but Cook sees the sources of new students being beneficial to West Liberty University in the future.
“We have had in increase in freshmen coming from our feeder schools,” Cook said. “Feeder schools are essentially the high schools located in or around the northern panhandle. These schools include Wheeling Park, Marshall, Brook, and Weir High School. If we can keep getting freshmen from these feeder schools, we will see an overall increase in enrollment in the future.”
Another positive effect new freshmen have had is that they are spread out through all five of West Liberty’s academic colleges. While a seven percent increase in the total amount of freshmen does not sound like a lot on paper, this number has resulted in increases in the number of students in various colleges.
“The increase in the number of freshmen has increased in all five of our colleges,” Cook said, “which means very good things going forward.”
For more information on enrollment, contact Cook at [email protected].
Photo credit: Daniel Morgan
Josh Smith • Nov 17, 2016 at 12:04 pm
I always encourage kids from my former high school to give WLU a shot. I hope the numbers continue to rise in the future!