Texas A&M University–Central Texas recently celebrated the university’s 15-year anniversary, and recent data points to significant increases in enrollment this summer.
Created to be a unique public university purposefully focused on accessibility and affordability, A&M–Central Texas removes complex admissions barriers, requiring only that undergraduate students have earned a minimum of 30 hours of previous college or university courses and a 2.0 grade point average for undergraduate admissions.
Many of the university graduate programs, too, practice flexible admissions including conditional and provisional acceptance. Graduate faculty emphasize the importance of these alternative admissions programs, citing years of experience with students who bring life experience and determination to their graduate studies that is enhanced by mentorship, encouragement, and academic rigor.
According to the Institutional Research Office, the number of students currently enrolled in Summer 2024 reflect a nearly 11% increase, as well as a 16% increase in total credit hours, indicating both more students enrolled taking more courses compared to Summer 2023. University funding is generated by credit hours.
A&M–Central Texas President, Richard Rhodes, Ph.D., praised the joint efforts of the faculty and staff across campus, noting that Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and University Relations, Clifton Jones, has implemented Transfer Central, designed to simplify the process of applying, advising, and enrolling community college students by leveraging crucial resources like veteran services and financial aid.
“Whenever growth of this kind is achieved, it is always a collaborative effort,” Rhodes said, adding that one of the reasons so many A&M–Central Texas students succeed is the quality of the staff involved in enrollment and retention.
“Our advisors and staff are among the best anywhere, and they are committed to providing wrap around support for both new and returning students.”
Since 2009, almost 11,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees have been earned.
“Our faculty and staff are proud of their active engagement in outreach efforts, and they continue to encourage close relationships with their students academically through one-to-one mentoring, community service, and constant encouragement,” he said.