Campus Connection

Frosh class is largest in 3 decades UW-La Crosse is graduating students faster than the national average and remains a popular UW campus. A total of 42 percent of first-year students entering UWL in fall 2011 completed a degree in four years, above the most recent national comparison rate of 33.5 percent. “Through our Growth, Quality and Access plan instituted in 2008, we’ve been able to improve the number of students being able to complete their degrees in four years,” says Chancellor Joe Gow. “This has allowed us to offer smaller class sizes, along with additional student services that improves our already high quality programs.” The word about UWL’s quality and access is helping recruitment. The university welcomed the largest incoming class in more than three decades this fall when 2,054 first year students began classes Sept. 8. That was an increase from 1,980 freshmen in fall 2014. The record was 2,125 students in 1979. Total enrollment topped out at 10,408, compared to 10,558 a year ago, but similar to 10,428 in 2013. Some of that slight decline can be attributed to graduating students faster. The university is also enhancing recruitment efforts of international students, whose numbers have declined. The class of 2019 is impressive with a median ACT score of 25 and a median class rank at the 79th percentile. The numbers were compiled on Sept. 21, the 10th day of classes, which is the official enrollment mark for colleges and universities.