Each year, colleges and universities across the country conduct an official census count of students about 2 weeks after classes begin. This allows students to vary schedules, to add and drop classes, and allows late-arriving students to be included, as the institutions are afforded time to gather accurate and valuable demographic information. And then the official numbers are compiled and reported.
Olivet Nazarene University welcomed 1,327 new students this fall, marking significant growth and breaking several records.
- 791 New First-Time Freshmen comprise the university’s largest incoming class in its 117-year history.
- 141 New Transfer Students join the ONU student body, a strong class size that exceeds Olivet’s 5-year average.
- 70 New Early Scholars make up the largest group of high school students enrolled in this program since its launch 5 years ago.
- 231 New Graduate Students this year mark the largest new graduate enrollment since 2020.
- 94 Additional New Students bring the incoming class total to 1,357, and the total student headcount to 3,332.
New First-Time Freshmen
This record-breaking class exceeds the previous largest class by over 5%, and exceeds last year’s new first-time freshmen class by nearly 22%. “We are celebrating this milestone,” said Luke Franklin, Executive Director of Traditional Enrollment. “We are so excited to see these incoming freshmen shape the university in these upcoming years and their industries, churches, and communities in the years to follow!”
New Transfer Students
Each year, Olivet welcomes students transferring from colleges and universities all over the country. “Olivet goes beyond ‘transfer-friendly’, helping students make the transition from other colleges with ease,” said Lauren Rybolt, Director of Transfer Admissions. “We support the students from admission to graduation, which contributes to such a strong enrollment of transfer students.”
Early Scholars
Olivet’s Early Scholars Program offers high school students the opportunity to take classes alongside current undergraduate students. This rapidly-growing program went from 44 students in 2022 to 80 students in 2023 and 100 students this fall.
New Graduate Students
“Our affordable graduate programs are designed for busy working adults—many programs can be completed quickly, in months, not years, and are delivered both online and in-person. These programs resonate with adults from a variety of backgrounds, and we’ve been delighted to welcome these 231 students to our cohorts,” shared Andy Corbus, Olivet’s Executive Director of Enrollment Management for Graduate and Continuing Studies.
Students interested in enrolling at Olivet Nazarene University are encouraged to contact the Office of Admissions at 815-928-5603 or admissions@olivet.edu.
