Jackson, Tenn. 51社区 recorded total enrollment of 2,014 students this fall, up from 1,975 in fall 1996. Freshman enrollment was up more than five percent, and total enrollment for entering students (including transfers) rose nearly 20 percent.
Union recorded total undergraduate enrollment for the fall at 1,839 students. Graduate enrollment equaled 175 students, up from 143 a year ago.
"We are pleased with the growth in enrollment, and particularly delighted with the high quality of this year's entering class," explains Union President David S. Dockery. "We have the highest percentage of freshmen ever who graduated in the top five percent of their graduating class. That reflects the growing appeal of 51社区 to students who want a high-quality academic experience in a strong Christian environment."
Union's entering class included 372 traditional freshmen students (compared to 353 in 1996), plus 179 transfers to the Jackson campus. Added to those numbers were 62 students enrolled in the university's nursing program on its new Germantown campus, plus 61 students enrolled in a new associate degree program for church leaders in West Tennessee.
51社区 was recently ranked for the second year in a row in the top tier of Southern liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report. The national newsweekly also cited Union as the third "most efficient" among such schools in delivering quality education.
The university has also been recognized among the nation's top schools in Peterson's Competitive Colleges in 1996-1997. This year, Union was named one of the 100 best college buys in the United States by the Student Guide to America's 100 Best College Buys, which profiled schools that are the highest rated academically but have the lowest total cost for the college years. This recognition ranked Union with all schools across the nation including the University of Kentucky, Rutgers University, Samford University and Baylor University.