Oregon State University – Cascades recorded its largest first-year class in fall term 2018, increasing first-year students by a third and serving a younger and more diverse enrollment.
In total, 1,259 students are enrolled at the Bend campus, representing a 4.6 percent increase over last year. The cohort of 113 incoming first-year students dropped the average age of OSU-Cascades students from 29 to 25, and increased to 16 percent the number of students under the age of 20.
The enrollment report reflects a more than seven percent increase in full-time equivalents. FTE is the standard measure for enrollment across institutions, and the increase reflects students increasingly taking full-time loads.
More than 85 percent of OSU-Cascades’ first-year students are Oregonians, and 23 percent are students of color. The overall diversity of OSU-Cascades’ enrollment is 17 percent.
More than three quarters of undergraduate students pursue their studies full-time when combining credits from OSU-Cascades, OSU Ecampus and Central Oregon Community College. More than 300 OSU-Cascades students take at least one class at the community college.
New transfer students total 205, representing a 20 percent increase over the previous year. The majority of transfer students are from Central Oregon and previously attended COCC.
Fall 2018 enrollment includes 306 undergraduate students who are the first in their families to attend college – 31 percent of OSU-Cascades undergraduates.
OSU-Cascades students from Oregon total 88 percent, with 64 percent coming from the Central Oregon region. Twelve percent of students are from out-of-state, representing 30 other states, as well as eight countries.
The enrollment increase spread across disciplines, with the most popular majors reported as biology, business administration, energy systems engineering, computer science, natural resources, human development and family sciences, and kinesiology. The computer science program experienced the most growth in enrollment, increasing by 50 percent to 89 students.
This fall term marks the second year that the OSU Honors College undergraduate degree is offered at OSU-Cascades. More than 20 students are enrolled in the rigorous degree program, up from nine the previous year.
The average unweighted high school GPA of OSU-Cascades’ first-year class is 3.46. First-year students with a high school GPA of 3.75 or higher total 26 percent, a nine percent increase over the previous year.
In addition, nine percent of first-year students came to OSU-Cascades with sufficient college credit to enter at the sophomore or junior level. Nearly 60 percent of first-year students earned college credit while in high school.
OSU-Cascades recorded 281 graduate students in fall 2018. The counseling degree program is the largest with 79 students. The low-residency master of fine arts in creative writing program has 24 enrolled students this fall. The average age of a graduate student is 38.
Ninety-one students are veterans. Of those, 65 are active duty veterans.
The youngest enrolled student is 17; the oldest is 77.
More information about OSU’s overall fall enrollment is available here.
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About OSU-Cascades: Oregon State University’s campus in Bend, Ore. features outstanding faculty in degree programs that reflect Central Oregon’s vibrant economy and abundant natural resources. Nearly 20 undergraduate majors, 30 minors and options, and three graduate programs include computer science, energy systems engineering, kinesiology, hospitality management, and tourism, recreation and adventure leadership. OSU-Cascades expanded to a four-year university in 2015; its new campus opened in 2016.