UTM set six all-time enrollment records and, for the second consecutive year, had the largest enrollment percentage increase of any four-year public university in the state, based on preliminary fall enrollment figures. It was the seventh consecutive period UTM has enrolled a record number of students.

A total of 6,893 students are enrolled for the fall semester, an increase from 6,484 recorded for fall 2005. It also follows top numbers for spring and summer 2006 semesters.

The fall 2006 total includes all-time record fall enrollments for undergraduates, graduates, dual-credit /concurrent students, total full-time equivalent and undergraduate full-time equivalent students. Public higher education funding is based on fall semester full-time equivalency.

“The access component of the new University of Tennessee Strategic Plan is important to the state and region,” said Dr. Nick Dunagan, UTM chancellor. “What we¹re doing with enrollment meets and exceeds what we intended as it relates to access.”

Based on final figures, this fall’s enrollment at UTM is a 6.3 percent increase over fall 2005. Final figures are compiled by the university’s Office of Institutional Research and Planning.

“This continued growth is a reflection of student satisfaction and the outstanding jobs that our faculty and staff are doing,” added Dunagan.

The record enrollment also reflects 1,203 freshmen, the sixth largest freshman class on the UTM campus. Fall enrollment indicates that first-time freshmen have an average 3.34 high school grade point average, up from 3.30 in 2005, and an average ACT score of 21.82.

Compared to last year’s totals, UTM will have 409 more undergraduates and graduates for a 6.3 percent increase; 260 additional dual-credit/concurrent students, a 73 percent increase; and 31 additional graduate students, a 5.7 percent increase.

The enrollment growth trend follows the recent notification from U.S. News and World Report that UTM is tied for 21st place among public universities in the South that grant bachelor’s and master’s degrees. UTM also was named a “Best Southeastern College” by The Princeton Review for 2007.