University boasts largest spring class
By Brent Yarina
Staff Reporter

The arrival of the spring semester is bringing with it the largest spring class in the history of the university, said Ray Brown, dean of admissions.

Brown said he expects 200 new students to enter TCU this spring semester as compared to 144 new students last spring. However, Brown said official figures won’t be available until Jan. 29. TCU also estimates that just 250 of its 1,451 freshman won’t be returning for the spring semester, he said.

Brown said the number of students TCU lost is much smaller than in previous spring semesters, Brown said.

Brown said this spring’s high enrollment shows the growing popularity of the university.

Sean Scogin, a junior transfer student from Texas A&M at Corpus Christi, said he decided
to attend TCU because of the university’s academic reputation.

Carrie Zimmerman, director of the first year experience at TCU, said many factors go into a student’s decision to attend a university.

“TCU has Frog Camp and orientation which really make the student feel welcome,” Zimmerman said. “These programs give students the chance to meet their classmates and make friends before classes even start.”

Zimmerman said many universities are starting to develop these same programs after witnessing the success the programs have had at TCU.

The primary reason for the increase in enrollment is the increased number of minority students TCU has attracted in recent years, Brown said.

“Compared to only last year, applications for students of color have doubled,” Brown said.

Brown said he credits several programs at TCU that are currently working to make TCU a more diverse university.

“The Community Scholars Program has gotten the most notoriety and contributed the greatest to attracting students of color,” he said.

Brown said he’s “giddy” to see TCU achieve a greater level of diversity under his guidance. Since Brown came to TCU three years ago from Marquette University, he said he has already accomplished his primary goal.

“I came to TCU with the objective of creating a more diverse university, and I think I have accomplished that,” Brown said.

Aside from diversifying the student body, Brown said he’s trying to place a greater emphasis on grades, test scores and class rank while also trying to create a higher academic profile.

“At TCU, we’re looking for quality over quantity,” Brown said. “Bigger is not better in our mind.”

Despite receiving a record 6,137 applications last year, Brown said the university will continue to implement an enrollment cap.

“There just isn’t enough infrastructure here at TCU for more students,” Brown said. “If we were to accept more students, we would then need more faculty, more residence halls and more classrooms.”

Brown said he expects 1,525 freshman to attend TCU next fall, leaving the undergraduate student body at 6,800 students. More students would decrease the overall quality of the students, he said.

Brent Yarina