Freshman and transfer student enrollment goals met

Pitt-Bradford has exceeded its enrollment goals for new freshmen and transfer students for the 2014-15 academic year.

Early enrollment numbers indicate that 417 new freshmen and 154 transfer students have joined upperclass students this fall when classes started Aug. 25.  Currently, Pitt-Bradford’s total enrollment stands at 1,531, a 4.5 percent increase over the enrollment count at this time last year. Of that total, 1,402 students are full time, a 3.6 percent increase, and 129 are part time, a 16 percent hike.

“We are pleased with these enrollment numbers,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, university president, “particularly in light of the declining number of high school graduates in our region and beyond and the number of other institutions in Pennsylvania that are experiencing significant enrollment declines.

“This tells us that more and more students are recognizing the value of studying on a student-centered campus and ultimately receiving a University of Pittsburgh degree.”

In addition to exceeding its enrollment goals, Pitt-Bradford also has a record number of students living on campus this fall.

The addition of Lester and Barbara Rice House residence hall, which is opened for the first time this fall, brings the total number of residence halls to 15, enabling the university to accommodate more resident students than ever before.  This fall, about 1,025 students are living on campus.

Over the summer, as more students applied for admission and requested on-campus housing, it appeared as if there still wouldn’t be enough rooms on campus for students despite the addition of the new residence hall. Therefore, the university decided once again to partner with the Best Western Inn of Bradford to provide rooms for about 20 students. However, due to several last-minute decisions by students, including some students who decided to commute instead of live on campus and several international students who were unable to enroll this fall, it appears that those additional rooms will not be needed.

“We appreciate the professional relationship we’ve developed over the years with the Best Western and our other business partners in the community who help to accommodate our students and make their time in Bradford a pleasant and productive one,” Alexander said. “Given the increased demand each year for on-campus housing there is every expectation that the campus will need to partner with the Best Western next fall to accommodate the students who cannot be housed on campus.”

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