The University of California, Davis, has enrolled 5,511 new freshmen -- the largest freshman class in the history of the university system -- and has record campus enrollment of 30,475 students this fall.

The new freshmen coming directly from high school represent a 25.8 percent increase over last fall's 4,380. And overall enrollment represents an increase of 2.8 percent from last fall's 29,637.

Looking only at the main campus in Davis, the student population is expected to average 26,788 over the three quarters of the academic year.

Settling in the freshman class

The final count of new freshmen is about 400 students above the high end of the freshman enrollment target, but it represents a decline from the more than 5,900 students intending to enroll as of the May 1 deadline.

Fred Wood, interim vice provost for undergraduate studies, said the campus preparations begun in May to handle the larger-than-anticipated number of potential students -- including adding more than 100 classes, hiring more instructors and adding teaching facilities -- have paid off. "There were a lot of people who worked very hard to meet this challenge, and they did an outstanding job," he said.

In fact, compared with last year, a greater percentage of freshmen enrolled this fall in a workload of 13 or more units, and faculty members reported shorter wait lists for introductory courses in many areas, he said.

"Everyone rose to the occasion," said John Meyer, vice chancellor for resource management and planning. "The next challenge is ensuring the large freshman class can be accommodated as sophomores," he added. "We're exploring the best alternatives to ensure similar success for next year."

Added Wood, "We want to make sure these students have a great experience throughout their education, and that they are able to graduate on time."

As of Oct. 31, a total of 4,792 freshmen were living in residence halls, and about 1,200 of them were in rooms accommodating three students each.

Numbers

New transfer students numbered 1,827 this fall, compared with last fall's 1,721 final tally, for a 6.1 percent increase. Among these transfer students, California residents coming from California community colleges numbered 1,527 this fall, for a 0.8 percent increase over last year's 1,515.

Among the new freshman and transfer students, international students increased to 180, compared with 123 for fall 2005, an increase of more than 46 per cent.

The number of undergraduates (including teaching-credential students) increased by about 3.18 percent, from 22,735 last fall to 23,458 this fall; the number of graduate and professional students rose by about 1.66 percent, from 6,902 last fall to 7,017 this fall.

The overall student count includes health science interns and residents as well as students in three non-state-supported programs: the Working Professional MBA Program, the Master of Forensic Science program and the Master of Advanced Study.

There were significant gains in the number of African Americans and Chicano/Latinos among the entering freshmen and transfer students. Non-white ethnic groups comprise 56.5 percent of domestic general campus undergraduates, up from last fall's 55.1 percent. Students from non-white ethnic groups make up 60.8 percent of this fall's freshman class and 48.6 percent of new transfer students.

Freshman SAT scores and GPAs

Even with the large increase in admitted students, the academic profile of the entering class compares favorably to that of last year's class. The average Scholastic Assessment Test Reasoning Math score of enrolled freshmen was 598, down from the SAT-I Math score of 611 in fall 2005; the average SAT Reasoning Reading score was 555, down from the SAT-I Verbal score of 563 in fall 2005. The average grade point average was 3.70, compared with 3.73 in fall 2005.

According to Pamela Burnett, director of undergraduate admissions, these changes are small and not surprising, in light of the changes in the SAT, the national declines in SAT scores, and the significantly larger number of students.

Profile of this fall's student body

Men account for 45.24 percent of the total student population, and women 54.76 percent. About 92.83 percent of students are California residents. About 3.06 percent are from other parts of the United States, while about 4.1 percent are international students.

For the general campus, 6,603 students are classified as freshmen; 3,782 as sophomores; 5,804 as juniors; 7,140 as seniors; 129 as teaching-credential students; 1,570 as master's or professional degree candidates; and 2,951 as doctoral degree candidates.

In the health sciences, 88 are designated as students in the Family Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant Program, 28 as master's degree candidates, 228 as doctoral degree candidates, 904 as professional degree candidates, and 847 as interns and residents.

In addition, 307 students are enrolled in the self-supporting Working Professional MBA Program, 64 are in the Master of Forensic Science program, and 30 are in the Master of Advanced Study program.

New freshmen and transfers by ethnicity

Of the 5,511 new freshmen, 5,425 are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The ethnic breakdown among the U.S. students, contrasted with last year's figures (in parentheses), is:

• African American, 3.21 percent or 174 (2.61 percent or 113);
• American Indian/Alaskan Native, 0.44 percent or 24 (0.44 percent or 19);
• Chicano/Latino, 13.14 percent or 713 (11.56 percent or 500);
• Asian/Pacific Islander, 44.06 percent or 2,390 (44.61 percent or 1,930);
• Caucasian, 33.05 percent or 1,793 (33.77 percent or 1,461);
• Other 2.05 percent or 111 (2.40 percent or 104); and
• Decline to state, 4.06 percent or 220 (4.60 percent or 199).

Of the 1,827 new transfer students, 1,733 are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The ethnic breakdown among the U.S. students, contrasted with last year's figures (in parentheses), is:

• African American, 3.52 percent or 61 (2.30 percent or 38);
• American Indian/Alaskan Native, 0.92 percent or 16 (0.61 percent or 10);
• Chicano/Latino, 11.14 percent or 193 (11.62 percent or 192);
• Asian/Pacific Islander, 33.06 percent or 573 (33.84 percent or 559);
• Caucasian, 42.93 percent or 744 (44.25 percent or 731);
• Other 2.65 percent or 46 (2.24 percent or 37); and
• Decline to state, 5.77 percent or 100 (5.15 percent or 85).

Here is a comparison of actual fall quarter enrollments from last year to this year:

Fall 2006

Undergraduates 23,458

• Agricultural & Environmental Sciences 4,623
• Engineering 2,965
• Letters & Science 10,360
• Biological Sciences 5,381
• Teaching Credential 129

Graduate Studies 4,072

Professional Schools 2,945

• Graduate School of Management* 413
• Law 599
• Medicine** 1,209
• Veterinary Medicine** 618
• Forensic Science Program 64
• Public Health Program 12
• Master of Advanced Studies 30

Total 30,475

Fall 2005

Undergraduates 22,735

• Agricultural & Environmental Sciences 4,541
• Engineering 3,060
• Letters & Science 9,925
• Biological Sciences 5,092
• Teaching Credential 117

Graduate Studies 4,051

Professional Schools 2,851

• Graduate School of Management* 386
• Law 577
• Medicine** 1,200
• Veterinary Medicine** 605
• Forensic Science Program 60
• Public Health Program 14
• Maternal and Child Nutrition 9

Total 29,637

* Figures for the management school include students in the MBA program for working professionals: 307 this fall and 277 last fall.

** Numbers for the medical and veterinary schools include interns and residents. The medical school has 751 this fall compared with 726 last fall; the vet school has 96 this fall and the same last fall.