MEDIA RELEASE

Opening enrollment for the University of Hawaii’s fall 2013 semester is 59,288 students, a slight decline of 1,345 students, or 2.2 percent compared to fall semester 2012.

This decrease comes after record-breaking enrollments in each of the last five years. Since 2007, enrollment has grown by 17 percent.

The UH system’s newest campus, UH West Oahu saw its enrollment significantly increase to 2,403 students, the largest numerical and percentage gain with 380 students for an 18.8 percent increase.

Windward Community College reported a 2.2 percent increase with 62 students for a total enrollment of 2,840. Kauai Community College also posted a gain of 1.3 percent with 19 students for a total enrollment of 1,531.

However, UH Manoa’s enrollment slightly declined by 2 percent or 408 students for a total enrollment of 19,912. UH Hilo posted a 3.3 percent drop of 138 students for a total enrollment of 4,034.

The dip in enrollment follows recent national trends. The U.S. Census Bureau released new statistics this month, that show college enrollment in fall 2012 plunged by half a million (476,000) across the country compared to fall 2011. The Census Bureau says the decline follows a period of substantial growth – 3.2 million – between 2006 and 2011.

The decline in college enrollment was driven by students 25 years and older, according to the Census Bureau.

“Enrollment in higher education typically runs counter to economic growth. Students often leave college when the economy provides more jobs. This is particularly true of the community college students,” Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Linda Johnsrud said.

Overall, UH Community Colleges saw a 3.5 percent decrease in enrollment with 1,179 students for a total enrollment of 32,939.

Specific figures for the community college campuses are:

* Hawaii Community College: 3,442 students, a decrease of 6.6 percent or 244 students.

* Honolulu Community College: 4,437 students, a decrease of 4.6 percent or 213 students.

* Kapiolani Community College: 8, 523 students, a decrease of 6.1 percent or 558 students.

* Kauai Community College: 1,531 students, an increase of 1.3 percent or 19 students.

* Leeward Community College: 8,069 students, an increase of 0.4 percent or 30 students.

* UH Maui College: 4,097 students, a decrease of 6.3 percent or 275 students.

* Windward Community College: 2,840 students, an increase of 2.2 percent or 62 students.

Profile of UH Manoa Fall 2013 freshman class

Due to extraordinary success in graduating students, enrollment this semester at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is slightly down compared to a year ago. But the campus was proud to welcome a Fall 2013 freshman class that is notable for its high caliber, namely, the number of students ranked in the Top 10 percent of their high school graduating classes, elevated SAT scores, and strong representation of local public high schools.

Based on specific info from the UH Manoa Institutional Research Office, a review of Fall 2013 data on UH Manoa freshmen demonstrates an increase in:

* Total number of freshmen, including first-time students skipping freshman status and entering as sophomores: 2,011 in Fall 2013, up from 1,994 in Fall 2012.

* A number of entering students have earned enough college credits in high school to qualify them as sophomores, thereby skipping their freshman status completely.

* Number of freshmen who ranked in the Top 10 percent of their high school classes: 27.3 percent in Fall 2013, up from 24.1 percent in Fall 2012.

* Mean scores of enrolled freshmen’s SAT scores in Math (a Fall 2013 mean score of 561, up from 556 in Fall 2012) and Reading (a Fall 2013 mean score of 531, up from 530 in Fall 2012).

* Number of freshmen who are Hawaii public high school graduates: 66.6 percent in Fall 2013, up from 62.2 percent in Fall 2012.

“We are excited that so many qualified high school graduates have launched their journeys toward higher education degrees at UH Manoa,” Chancellor Tom Apple said. “Also, because more high schools locally and nationally are offering AP courses, some of our first-time students have vaulted completely over freshman status to become sophomores, thereby facilitating faster graduation rates.”