By Kristy Volmert | Staff Writer
As the fall 2024 semester comes to a close, Baylor faculty reflect on graduation and retention, looking ahead to next semester’s enrollment.
Last spring, undergraduate fall to spring retention rate reached a record-breaking 97.1% , and 97.2% of first-time freshmen returned for the spring. According to Dr. J. Wesley Null, vice provost for undergraduate education and academic affairs, this year’s fall to spring retention is falling slightly behind last year’s.
“Right now we are about three or four tenths of a percentage point behind where we were last year,” he said.
Null said that their goal is to exceed — or at least meet — last year’s 97.2%. However, nothing is final yet, and Baylor may still see an increase in retention.
Baylor President Linda Livingstone said that she is glad to see such continually high overall retention rates.
“Retention is a key indicator of undergraduate students’ successful adjustment to university life, and I’m deeply grateful for the tireless work of our faculty and staff who support the success of our students,” Livingstone said.
This month, Baylor will also see an above-average number of graduates — approximately 1,500. According to university spokesperson Lori Fogleman, the past few Decembers have seen lower numbers of around 1,300. Many of these students are graduating a semester early.
Many students will also be attending graduate school following graduation. Baylor has continued to see a sharp increase in graduate student population, which is an indicator of academic success.
“Our graduate student population is growing, and we will continue to see an exponential rise in master’s and doctoral degrees, which is testament to Baylor’s distinct place in higher education as an R1 Christian university,” Fogleman said in an email.
Each spring, Baylor’s student body also sees several new first-time freshmen and transfer students. According to Null, this year Baylor should see somewhere between 100 and 150 new and transfer students, which is about typical.
Null also said that the overall undergrad population should remain static at about 14,500 students.
According to statistics on student enrollment and characteristics, Baylor has seen an increase in bachelor’s degrees. However, the number of bachelor’s degrees earned fluctuates each year depending on freshman class size, according to Fogleman.
“We had very large ‘COVID’ classes that entered in fall 2020 (3,731 freshmen) and fall 2021 (4,271 freshmen) who are now graduating, so we expect to see bachelor’s degree numbers continue to increase,” Fogleman said in an email. “However, as the large classes graduate and we maintain freshman class enrollment at a steady 3,400 to 3,600 students, we could see the number of bachelor’s degrees conferred start to decrease some.”
As the spring semester approaches rapidly, Null encouraged any students who have not yet registered for their spring 2025 courses to act quickly.
“If they have a hold on their account that’s keeping them from registering, whether that be a financial hold, an advising hold or something related to their residence hall, they should be sure to reach out their advisor,” Null said. “There are people here who want to help students get registered and clear whatever holds they may have on their account.”
Null said that if a student has not yet registered, they should take care of it as soon as their finals are over before they go back home for Christmas break.
