OU welcomes most diverse incoming class in its history

This fall, Oakland University is welcoming the most diverse class of first-year students in its history, with more than 26% identifying as underrepresented minorities. It is also the largest incoming class since fall 2020, signaling a resurgence toward pre-pandemic enrollment levels.

The total enrollment of 15,992 students also includes increases in many demographics, including first-year students, transfer students, graduate students, first-generation students, Honors College students and international students.

“OU is proud to serve as a destination for incoming first-year, transfer and graduate students seeking a transformative educational experience. Our ongoing outreach and recruitment efforts in high schools and community colleges have resulted in increased enrollment from some of the most academically talented students,” said Dawn Aubry, OU’s vice president for enrollment management.

“Oakland continues to be a university of choice for students throughout the state of Michigan, and the significant number of enrolled students from Oakland, Macomb and Wayne Counties reflects OU’s commitment to being one of the regional universities best serving Michigan families.”

Fall 2023 Enrollment Highlights:

New students

• 6% more new undergraduate students have enrolled at OU in the fall semester, compared to fall 2022.
  
  
• The number of students coming from high school who have enrolled is up 5.6% from last year, for a total of 2,236.
  
  
• Most diverse incoming first-year class in OU’s history, with 26.2% identifying as underrepresented minority students, compared to 25.7% in the fall 2022.
  
  
• 36.5% of the incoming first-year class identify as first-generation college students, compared to 36.2% for fall 2022.
  
  
• International students comprise 3.6% of the incoming first-year class, compared to 3.1% in the fall 2022.
  
  
• The entering first-year class continues to demonstrate strong academic credentials, with the average grade point remaining at 3.50, comparable to the average for the fall 2022. 
  
  
• The number of students enrolling as members of the Honors College are up 1.7% compared to the Fall of 2022.
  
  
• A new pilot initiative for incoming first-year students from Detroit, called the DREAM Initiative, has contributed to an increase of 14.6% in the incoming first-year class enrollment from Wayne County. DREAM is a program designed to support first-generation students, primarily from the City of Detroit, in closing the graduation gap. Forty-seven students have enrolled in this program, and they will have dedicated support their first two years.

Transfer Students

• The number of Transfer students enrolled for Fall are up 0.9%, for a total of 1,355.
  
  
• We continue to maintain the diversity of our incoming transfer student population, with 15.4% identifying as underrepresented minority students.
  
  
• Additionally, 38.6% of the incoming transfer student population identify as first-generation college students.
  
  
• Enrollment of new transfer students in the Honors College has nearly doubled compared to the fall 2022. 

Graduate students

• 3% more new graduate (masters and doctoral) students have enrolled at OU in the Fall semester, compared to the Fall of 2022.
• In fact, Fall 2023 new Masters student enrollment is at a five-year high for OU, with new Masters student enrollment 4% stronger than it was pre-pandemic (Fall 2019).
  
  
• The increase in new graduate student enrollment is supported by increases in the Master of Science in Public Health, Master of Arts in Teaching, and Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, to name a few programs that have seen strong new student enrollment for the fall semester.