Today is the first day of school at the University of Arizona and 7,900 freshmen from all 50 states are starting their college careers.
The new batch is a smart one, according to UA, with seven percent more students entering with a 4.0 grade point average and 16 percent more students with high GPA’s between 3.75 and 3.99.
“We are honored to welcome all of our new and returning Wildcats to campus,” said Kasey Urquidez, vice president of enrollment management and student affairs advancement and dean of undergraduate admissions at the UA. “We are thrilled with the increase in applications and the number of students who have selected the UA as their college of choice.”
Not only are there more A+ students at the UA this year, the number of applications also went up by 20 percent, with the percentage of freshman students from diverse backgrounds at 45 percent.
“The start of the school year brings a unique feeling of excitement to campus,” said UA President Robert C. Robbins in a UA press release. “We have a very strong class of students coming to the UA this fall, and many of them are first-generation students from diverse backgrounds. Along with many others here at the UA, I can’t wait to see what this year’s new students will achieve during their academic careers.”
Along side the new freshmen, around 2,300 transfer students enrolled this semester, with 53 percent of them being first-generation students and many of them online students.
“We’re meeting our students where they are – offering opportunities to be a Wildcat from all over the world or down the street from the comfort of their home,” Urquidez said in a UA press release.
The on-campus, online and even international student population has grown this year, now with students from over 100 countries.
“The incoming international freshman class is up 36 percent – in stark contrast to national trends – reflecting the UA’s commitment to bold new recruiting strategies and growing reputation as a global university,” said Brent White, dean of global campuses and interim vice provost for global affairs.
The most popular majors for incoming freshmen are:
– Pre-business
– Pre-Physiology
– Engineering
– Biology
– Pre-Computer Science
New degree options that have been added this semester are:
– Applied Humanities
– Food Studies
– Statistics and Data Science
– Food Safety
– Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences
– Nutrition and Food Systems
– Personal and Family Financial Planning
– Pharmaceutical Sciences
– Statistics and Data Science
– Deaf Studies
– Mild Moderate Disabilities
– Rehabilitation Studies and Services
An official count of all students enrolled at UA for the 2018-19 school year will be released on Sept. 10.
This article appears in Aug 16-22, 2018.
The vast majority of the incoming Freshman are under 21, as are most UofA Students. They are at the UofA for a University Education and NOT for Partying, with the use of Alcohol, before and after Football Games. The UofA Must reevaluate it’s support for a Questionable Athletic Program.
So in the meantime….Let the Bacchanalia begin on the Mall before the Football Game on September 1st (Tailgating) and continue in the Stadium during the Game to insure the these Fans “enjoy themselves”, i.e., getting Drunk and staying Drunk!!
The UofA is ALL about MONEY!!! This decision is Irresponsible; putting at risk both Students and those exposed to these Drunk Fans Driving Home!!!
One of the Primary Responsibilities of the UofA President, Dr. Bobby Robins, is the Health and Safety of UofA Students!! His Silence is deafening for not speaking out in opposition to Drinking Alcohol during the pre-game Bacchanalia on the Mall and in the Stadium.
In fact, Dr. Robbins, along with the Board of Regents, must Prohibit the Use of Alcohol anywhere on the UofA Campus.