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Montana Western reports record-breaking enrollment

September 26, 2016

Officials at the University of Montana Western said official 15th day enrollment figures show the university’s student headcount is 1,501, up nine percent over last year.

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Officials at the University of Montana Western said official 15th day enrollment figures show the university’s student headcount is 1,501, up nine percent over last year.

In addition, this is the second consecutive year Montana Western has broken the modern record for students enrolling at the university for the first time.

Montana Western Registrar and Director of Institutional Research Charity Walters said the university’s 15th day statistics include 1,418 full-time equivalent (FTE) students as compared to 1,332 last year (a six percent increase). Student headcount is 1,501 compared to 1,378 in the previous year. This year’s record-breaking class includes 336 new freshmen and 131 transfer students.

University Chancellor Beth Weatherby attributed enrollment increases to the university’s unique Experience One (X1) program. “Experience One is working and our numbers continue to show it. Most importantly it is contributing significantly to the success of our students. Our hardworking faculty and staff have made Montana Western a very special place where students thrive and succeed,” Weatherby said.

She said the university also awarded a record number of degrees this past spring for the second consecutive year.

Montana Western is the only U.S. public four-year institution offering X1 where students take a single class at a time. Now in its 11th year, the innovative program of teaching and learning has realized phenomenal success by a number of measures including enrollment, retention, class completion, graduation rates and placement.

The university has received a number of top rankings recently. Montana Western was named the best university in the state by Money Magazine; was ranked third among western public universities by U.S. News & World Report; and was listed one of the top 40 in the west in the “Best Bang for the Buck” category by Washington Monthly.

The 15th day of classes serves as the official point of reference for reporting enrollment to the Montana Office of Higher Education.

— Montana Western —

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