Baylor Announces Largest Enrollment in University History; Regents Set 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees

- Baylor enrolls record numbers in grad school and seminary; diverse freshmen top 3,000 -

Media contact: Lori Fogleman, director of media communications, (254) 710-6275

Baylor University has enrolled 14,541 students, the largest overall enrollment in university history, according to official 12th-day enrollment statistics compiled by the Office of Institutional Research and Testing. The university also enrolled its second largest and most diverse freshman class, as well as record numbers of students in the Graduate School and George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

Baylor's previous record fall enrollment was 14,221 in 2001. Total fall enrollment at Baylor exceeded 14,000 for the third straight fall.

Baylor's freshmen enrollment of 3,062 is second only to 2005, when 3,168 freshmen started classes at Baylor. University officials also continue to be pleased with the academic quality of the class, as well as the record diversity among Baylor's freshmen.

The students' average SAT score of 1210 represents the third consecutive year that the incoming freshman class has averaged more than 1200 on their test scores. Minority enrollment among this year's class stands at a record 31 percent. Over a three-year period, Baylor's minority freshman enrollment increased 30 percent, while enrollment among Hispanic students increased 40 percent during the same period.

Overall in fall 2008, Baylor has enrolled:
? 12,162 undergraduates, the first time since 2001 that the undergraduate population has topped 12,000;
? a record 1,369 graduate students (the previous high enrollment of 1,297 grad students occurred in fall 2004);
? 423 students in the School of Law; and
? a record 406 students in Truett Seminary (the previous record of 402 students was set last fall).

Graduate programs operated jointly by Baylor and the U.S. Army in healthcare administration, nutrition, physical therapy and physician assistant studies in emergency medicine enrolled 181 students.

Meanwhile, Baylor's Board of Regents has set tuition and fees for the 2009-10 academic year.

Regents have voted to increase tuition by 7 percent next year to $25,320 for 12 hours or more for the fall 2009 and spring 2010 academic year. The general student fee will increase 7.02 percent to $2,590 for next year. Room and board rates for undergraduates will increase by 6 percent and 4.77 percent, respectively.

In total, a freshman entering Baylor in fall 2009 will pay 6.67 percent more in tuition, fees, room and board than a freshman entering this year. Compared to other private institutions, Baylor's tuition and required fees continue to remain lower than the university's peer private institutions in Texas, including Rice, SMU, TCU, Trinity, Southwestern and Austin College. Baylor's cost also remains well below those of most private universities outside of Texas, such as Duke, Tulane, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest and Pepperdine.

Tuition for graduate students in 2009-10 will increase by 7 percent. Tuition for Truett Seminary students will increase by 6.57 percent and Baylor Law School students by 6.45 percent.

The tuition increase will help generate the resources necessary to support Baylor's current operations in the coming year, as well as provide for new faculty and staff hires and improved compensation levels consistent with Baylor 2012.

"This is a responsible adjustment in Baylor's tuition which will allow the university to continue its progress achieving the bold vision embodied in Baylor 2012," said Howard K. Batson, chair of Baylor's Board of Regents.

Batson said Baylor remains committed to its Christian heritage, while providing the highest quality university education for its students.

The current budget also will ensure access to a Baylor education for families and students who demonstrate financial need. Baylor's total scholarships for 2009-10 will increase $9.09 million to more than $108 million, which includes a 38.7 percent increase in need-based scholarships for freshmen who enter Baylor in fall 2009.

Of incoming freshmen entering the university in the fall and who qualified for need-based financial assistance, Baylor provided on average more than 50 percent of the students' need in direct scholarships. With financial aid packages that included federal loans and work-study, the university was able to meet on average approximately 70 percent of these students' total financial need.