More than 6,300 new undergraduates to be enrolled at UGA this fall

The University of Georgia expects to enroll more than 6,300 new undergraduate students this fall, including just over 4,700 new freshmen and 1,600 new transfer students.Approximately 680 of the new students began their studies during the summer and almost 5,700 will begin classes this August.

This is a growth of about 75 new students over last fall.Another 1,000 new undergraduates (200 of them freshmen) are expected to enroll in January for the spring term, bringing the overall total to more than 7,300—an increase of about 300 over the new undergraduates enrolled during the 2008-09 academic year.

Although final statistics will not be available until mid-October, the admissions office has compiled data based on the students who enrolled over the summer or who attended or registered for orientation for fall semester as of the end of July.

The entering freshmen are expected to have a strong grade point average of 3.83 (the mid 50 percentile range is 3.68-4.0) compared to 3.80 last year. The SAT average has risen from 1253 to 1263 (mid 50 percentile of 1160-1360) for the Critical Reading and Math combined, while scores on the new Writing section rose from 609 to 613. For those students who took the ACT, the mean score this year was 28, with a mid 50 percentile range of 26-30.

The 520 students expected to enroll in UGA’s nationally recognized Honors Program have a GPA of 4.09 (with a mid 50 percentile range of 3.96-4.14) and SAT average of 1463 (mid 50 percentile range of 1430-1490 on the Critical Reading and Math components). The ACT average is 32 (mid 50 percent range of 31-33).

Twenty-two percent of the entering freshmen self-identified as other than Caucasian. The number of African-American freshmen is expected to be 362 (7.6 percent). A total of 144 Hispanic students (3 percent of the class) are expected to enroll.

The class is diverse in other factors: 190 of the incoming freshmen represent 58 different countries and almost 7 percent come from homes where English is not the native language. The students come from more than 400 Georgia high schools in 136 counties. Just under 13 percent of the new class is from out of state, although more than 48 percent have social security numbers initially issued in other states, indicating continued in-migration to Georgia from other parts of the country.

“An interesting statistic this year is that 6 percent of the new freshmen are the first generation in their families to attend college,” said Nancy McDuff, associate vice president of admissions and enrollment management.

The number of applications received for this year’s freshman class—more than 17,900—is the highest recorded at UGA for a new class, following several years of record applications. Since 2003, applications for UGA’s freshman class have increased by more than 50 percent.

The rigor of students’ high school curriculum continues to be a key factor in admissions decisions, with some 95 percent enrolled in College Board Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes while in high school.

Five percent of the incoming freshmen (243) were first or second in their graduating class and 54 percent were in the top 10 percent of their class. More than 1,400 (31 percent) of the students completed high school with a 4.0 GPA. Several students had perfect scores on the SAT or ACT, and 102 had perfect scores on at least one of the components of the SAT. Nearly 10 percent of the students started college while still in high school.

While many of the incoming students have not yet decided on a major, the most popular intended majors (listed alphabetically) are art, biology, business, chemistry, international affairs, pharmacy, political science and psychology, following a similar pattern to previous years.

Although legacy is not a factor in admissions decisions, some 30 percent of the students have parents or siblings who attended UGA.

The new incoming transfer students have an earned college GPA of 3.4 on work completed prior to enrolling.They are almost evenly divided between males and females and 19 percent are non-Caucasian.About 92 percent are Georgia residents.

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Regents Honor Guaranteed Tuition for Current Students; but End Guarantee for Incoming Freshmen

University System of Georgia (USG) students currently enrolled in the Board of Regents’ guaranteed tuition plan will see no change in their tuition this coming fall, but the regents voted today to end the tuition guarantee for incoming freshmen, as part of board approval of an overall package of tuition and fees.

Fall 2009 freshmen students will pay tuition at the same per-credit-hour rate charged last year, but will be subject to future tuition increases. USG students who enrolled prior to the start of the guaranteed tuition plan in fall 2006 or who come off the guarantee this fall also will pay the fall 2008 per-credit-hour rate.

The regents set the full-time tuition rate at 15 credit hours instead of the current 12 hours, meaning that for the first time, students not on the guarantee would pay the per-credit-hour rate for all classes taken up to 15 credit hours. Students on the guaranteed tuition plan, which began in fall 2006, will not be affected by this change.

All students, regardless of whether or not they have the tuition guarantee, will pay a mandatory institutional fee to help offset budget reductions.

“We will honor the commitments that already have been made to those students in the guaranteed tuition plan and freeze the per credit hour tuition rate for new students,” said USG Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. “We want to do as much as feasible to help our students in tough times this year, provide our institutions with budget flexibility in future years and help us address our reduced budget picture for Fiscal Year 2010.”

Students not on the guaranteed rates this fall will pay, per semester, $203 per credit hour at Georgia State University and the Medical College of Georgia, $130 per credit hour at the regional and state universities, $84 per credit hour at the state colleges and $77 per credit hour at the two-year colleges – the same rate as last year.

Also frozen for fall 2009 freshmen are tuition rates at Kennesaw State University, Georgia Southern University, University of West Georgia, and Valdosta State University at $134 per credit hour and at Georgia College & State University at $190 per credit hour and Southern Polytechnic State University at $146 per credit hour.

A new and different model will be effective at Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia. Students who take six hours or less will pay a flat tuition of $1,800 per semester, and students taking in excess of six hours will pay a flat 15-hour tuition rate of $3,035. Students at these two institutions who are on the guarantee will not be affected by this change.

“The bulk of freshmen take more than 12 hours,” said Usha Ramachandran, vice chancellor for Fiscal Affairs for the USG. “Sixty two percent of freshmen take 13 or more credit hours – and that rises to 88 percent at UGA and Tech. The intent of the change to a flat tuition rate of 15 hours at UGA and Tech is to encourage students to take these credits and graduate sooner.”

The regents also approved a special institutional fee each semester of $100 at the research universities, as well as at Georgia Southern University, Valdosta State University, Georgia College and State University, Kennesaw State University, Southern Polytechnic State University, and University of West Georgia; $75 at the other state universities; and $50 at the state and two-year colleges.

The regents’ actions on tuition support the board’s approval today of a Fiscal Year 2010 budget of $2.17 billion, which includes federal stimulus funds of $92.6 million. The state appropriations include additions of $147.9 million and reductions of $275.5 million for a net reduction over the FY09 base budget of $127.7 million.

The additional funds include $79.4 million for increases in student enrollment. Also included is $65.3 million for institutional increases related to health insurance, retiree fringe benefits, annualization of partial year faculty and staff merit salary increases at the 35 institutions and for increased maintenance and operating costs for new facilities. The final $3.2 million is for other increases in employee salary and benefits.

The $65.3 million also includes $7.8 million for the continued expansion of medical education in the state. The new dollars will support the continuation of curriculum development and accreditation for the Medical College of Georgia’s campus in Athens, and residency expansion in Albany, Athens and Savannah.

“While the board’s basic priorities were preserved in the state appropriations, I remain deeply concerned about the challenges of meeting rising enrollment across the entire System with diminished resources,” said Davis.

The General Assembly approved $369 million in capital construction for the System including:
$60 million for major repair and rehabilitation of existing facilities on all 35 campuses;
$11.9 million for equipment for new facilities at Gordon College, Georgia State University, Southern Polytechnic State University, and the University of Georgia;
$192.8 million for new construction at College of Coastal Georgia, Darton College, East Georgia College, Fort Valley State University, Georgia Gwinnett College, Georgia Highlands College, Georgia Institute of Technology, Gainesville State College, Kennesaw State University, Middle Georgia College, Macon State College, North Georgia College & State University, the University of Georgia and the UGA Griffin campus;
$16.5 million for design funds for projects at Armstrong Atlantic State University, Clayton State University, Georgia Perimeter College, Georgia Southern University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Medical College of Georgia, and the University of West Georgia;
$27.6 million for new construction for 19 projects in the Georgia Public Library Services; and
$60 million for other projects in both the University System and for the Georgia Research Alliance.

Board action on the Fiscal Year 2010 budget and allocations as well as facilities construction is dependent upon final approval of the state budget and bond package by Gov. Sonny Perdue.

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UGA Incoming Freshmen Again Set Records for Academic Quality, Diversity

The University of Georgia expects just over 4,800 students in the new freshman class and they will set new records for academic quality and diversity, according to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Although final statistics will not be available until mid-October, the admissions office has compiled data based on the students who enrolled over the summer or who attended or have registered for orientation for fall semester as of the end of July.

The entering class is expected to have a strong grade point average of 3.8 (the mid 50 percentile range is 3.68-4.0) compared to 3.79 last year. The SAT average has risen from 1242 to 1253 (mid 50 percentile of 1150-1350) for the Critical Reading and Math combined, while scores on the new Writing section rose from 604 to 609. For those students who took the ACT, the mean score again this year was 27, with a mid 50 percentile range of 25-29.

The 510 students expected to enroll in UGA’s nationally recognized Honors Program have a GPA average of 4.04 (with a mid 50 percentile range of 3.96-4.14) and SAT average of 1456 (mid 50 percentile range of 1420-1490 on the Critical Reading and Math components). The ACT average is 31.7 (mid 50 percent range of 31-33).

Breaking all previous records for ethnic and racial diversity, 21 percent of the students in the new class self-identified as other than Caucasian. The number of African-American freshmen is expected to be 381, a 16 percent increase from the previous year and the largest number since 1995. A record 153 Hispanic students are expected to enroll in the class, a 47 percent increase over last year and the largest number of entering Hispanic freshmen in UGA history.

The class is diverse in other factors: 173 of the incoming freshmen represent 48 different countries and more than five percent come from homes where English is not the native language. The students come from more than 400 Georgia high schools in 145 counties. Just over 15 percent of the new class is from out of state, although more than 48 percent have social security numbers initially issued in other states, indicating continued in-migration to Georgia from other parts of the country.

“I am very pleased with the quality and diversity of the freshman class and grateful for the hard work of so many UGA faculty, staff and students who assisted the admissions office throughout the recruitment cycle,” said Nancy McDuff, associate vice president of admissions and enrollment management.

The number of applications received for this year’s freshman class – more than 17,300 – is the highest recorded at UGA for a new class, following several years of record applications. Since 2003, applications for UGA’s freshman class have increased by almost 50 percent.

In addition to the freshmen enrolled in the summer and fall, UGA for the first time is offering an opportunity for 200 additional first-year students to enroll for the Spring 2009 term. The university has received deposits from the students expected to begin their UGA studies in January.

The rigor of students’ high school curriculum continues to be a key factor in admissions decisions, with some 93 percent enrolled in College Board Advance Placement or International Baccalaureate classes while in high school.

Six percent of the incoming freshmen (224) were first or second in their graduating class and 53 percent were in the top 10 percent of their class. Nearly 1,400 (29 percent) of the students completed high school with a 4.0. Several students had perfect scores on the SAT or ACT, and 72 had perfect scores on at least one of the components of the SAT. Nine percent of the students started college while still in high school.

While many of the incoming students have not yet decided on a major, the most popular intended majors (listed alphabetically) are art, biology, business, chemistry, international affairs, pharmacy, political science and psychology, following a similar pattern to previous years.

Although legacy is not a factor in admissions decisions, almost 30 percent of the students have parents or siblings who attended UGA.

By Sharron Hannon

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College Scholarship Helps Students with Asthma

(ARA) – Even as the class of 2008 enjoys the milestones of their senior year, many are already well into their preparations for college. Scholarships are an important way for some students to help fund a college education, though identifying available awards can be daunting. However, if you are one of the many high school students affected by asthma, there’s a special option for you.

Applications are now being accepted for Schering-Plough’s “Will to Win” college scholarship program, which recognizes high school seniors with asthma who are pursuing higher education.

“Every day, teenagers overcome the challenges of living with asthma and achieve great things,” says Mike Tringale, director of external affairs at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “The ‘Will to Win’ Scholarship Program recognizes these young asthma patients who are dedicated to properly managing their disease and have not let the condition impede their ability to excel.”

Scholarships of $5,000 will be awarded to two high school seniors in each of five categories: performing arts; visual arts; community service; athletics and science. Each applicant must demonstrate outstanding performance and a documented track record of achievement in one of these categories. Applicants must also have received at least one separate award related to their category.

All high school seniors with asthma who will graduate in 2008 and hold a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale are eligible to apply. All scholarship winners will be required to supply documentation of U.S. citizenship, acceptance to an accredited college and enrollment in college in the fall 2008 semester.

For additional information, applications and entry rules, please visit the Web site www.schering-ploughwilltowin.com or call (800) SCHERING.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Georgia Southern University Freshmen BUILD Leadership Opportunities

This summer eighty Georgia Southern University freshmen will begin their college career with BUILD, a volunteer leadership and service opportunity that gives them a head start on their college experience. This is the third year Southern Pathways has conducted BUILD, an acronym that stands for Building Undergraduate Involvement in Leadership Development.

BUILD students will labor with two local organizations, Habitat for Humanity and Kingdom Builders during the day, then spend their evenings participating in leadership activities and talking over the experiences of their day. Two BUILD experiences are planned, one for July 27-31 and a second for Aug. 10-14. Both will take place in Statesboro Pointe.

“As they participate in the hands-on BUILD experience, students learn that leadership begins with service,” says Jodi Middleton, assistant director of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement. “That’s the most important aspect of the program. At the end of the program, BUILD students will have logged more than 1,000 community service hours.”

Each day of the BUILD program focuses on a leadership theme: building community; ethical leadership; service learning; creating a vision and action plan; and diversity.

“When their semester starts, BUILD students are already familiar with the campus and community, and they’ve had an opportunity to get acquainted with other students,” says Diana Hensley, Coordinator of Civic Engagement in the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement. “It’s a great way for students to transition from their hometowns, and it’s a way to get to know campus and community.”

BUILD students live in the same residence hall during the session to facilitate discussions of the days’ work and other leadership topics. Upperclass mentors serve as BUILD leaders, guiding the students’ conversation about their experiences.

Southern Pathways will also present Wilderness Introduction to Leadership Development –WILD – with the help of Campus Recreation and Intramurals. Eight students, led by CRI’s Dustin Sanderson, will take a five-day backpacking trip in the mountains of north Georgia. They will hike during the day and spend their evenings in leadership activities and discussions. Like BUILD, each day of the program focuses on a theme.

Georgia Southern University Freshman Orientation Program Focuses on Transition to College

The transition from high school to college is not always an easy one. As young adults are faced with accepting the challenges of independence, many colleges and universities make that move easier with on-campus programs like SOAR, Georgia Southern University’s Student, Orientation, Advisement, and Registration program.

“We conduct eight two-day SOAR sessions for incoming freshmen,” says Georgia Southern University Admissions Director Susan Davies. “In each session, about 250 students, or about nine percent of the freshman class, come to campus prepared to get a taste of what university life will be like. They stay in a residence hall with other incoming students, meet their advisors, register for the first semester’s courses, and learn about Georgia Southern University’s history and traditions. Not only is the SOAR experience fun, it is, without a doubt, the best way to prepare for a successful freshman year.”

At Georgia Southern, the eight available SOAR sessions fill up fast, according to Davies. Right now, only the July 10-11 and July 14-15 sessions have openings for students who plan to attend Georgia Southern University.

Parents are invited to accompany their student to SOAR and attend sessions in a schedule parallel to that of their students. Each session provides parents with presentations about what their student’s first year will include, both academically and socially. Experienced staff and faculty are available to answer parents’ questions on anything from financial aid, housing, and scholarships to academic programs and personal safety.

“The emphasis on student success doesn’t stop when students come to campus for their first year,” says Chris Caplinger, director of the First-Year Experience Program at Georgia Southern. “At Georgia Southern University we greet students in small groups at “Conversations with Professors,” an academic welcome to their freshman year. We continue with a required freshman seminar that gives students the tools needed to succeed.”

“At Georgia Southern University, our goal is to convert high school graduates to successful freshmen, and those freshmen to successful graduates,” says Davies. “Attending SOAR will get incoming students started on the right track.”

To make a reservation for SOAR, visit http://admissions.georgiasouthern.edu
or call the Georgia Southern University Admissions Office at 912-478-5391.