Colleges with large student populations
Often known for their booming athletic programs and large lecture hall classes, public colleges and universities typically enroll more students than private institutions. In some cases, enrollment exceeds the population of small cities in the U.S. While attending a large college can be intimidating for some, these schools typically offer hundreds of organizations and clubs to help students with similar interests connect. Here’s a noncomprehensive list of seven colleges — one private — that enroll more than 48,000 students. Enrollment totals fluctuate and include undergraduates, graduates and, in some cases, online learners. Many of these colleges have multiple campuses and offer hundreds of in-person and online academic programs. The following seven schools are listed in order from lowest to highest enrollments.
Utah Valley University
Utah Valley University has more than 300 academic programs, ranging from certificates to master’s degrees. UVU considers itself an open-admissions school, which means any applicant with a high school diploma or GED can attend. Total enrollment at UVU has been on an upward trajectory over the last few years, with the number of students now approaching 49,000. Among UVU’s campus traditions are a fall semester kickoff known as Wolverine Fest; bingo night every fall and spring; a Halloween dance; and a craft night where students can bring their children, nieces and nephews, or friends to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
University of Arizona
Total enrollment at the University of Arizona — designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution — is nearly 54,400, including almost 43,300 undergraduates and close to 11,100 graduate students. Most matriculating students are in-state residents. U of A has 23 residence halls plus some sorority and fraternity housing. All first-year residential students are required to live on campus. Students don’t have to be on the Tucson campus, however, to get a U of A education. There are more than 150 fully online undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs — such as in animal and veterinary sciences, philosophy and religious studies, and engineering and technology — in addition to in-person academic offerings.
The Ohio State University
While the main campus is in Columbus, The Ohio State University has five others within the state in Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark and Wooster. These six campuses together enroll more than 67,000 students, most of whom are undergrads at the Columbus campus. Ohio State has 36 men, women and coed varsity sports and more than 1,400 on-campus organizations and clubs, including for e-bike users, tea lovers and followers of true crime. More than half of students participate in at least one club, according to the university’s website. Students also have many opportunities for research, with 370 inventions created at Ohio State every year, per the university.
University of Central Florida
Since the first day of classes in 1968, the University of Central Florida in Orlando has grown from a student body of nearly 2,000 to become the largest higher ed institution in the state. UCF employs more than 13,000 people, with total enrollment exceeding 70,000 students — about 60,000 undergraduates and 10,000 graduate students, per the university’s website. Students are largely enrolled in the university’s science, engineering and computer science programs. Aerospace engineering is one of the fastest-growing majors and graduate programs at UCF, which calls itself “America’s Space University” due to long-standing research partnerships with NASA and other space programs.
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University enrolls more than 81,000 students, including about 62,000 undergrads and nearly 19,000 grad and professional school students. Beyond the 5,200-acre main campus in College Station, the university has branches in Galveston, Texas and Doha, Qatar; and a health science center. Texas A&M has more than 1,300 on-campus student organizations, the oldest being the Corps of Cadets. The university also has more than 20 varsity sports with more than 650 student-athletes competing at the NCAA Division I-A level. Students can choose from more than 140 undergraduate degrees, 175 master’s programs and nearly 100 doctoral and professional degree programs.
Liberty University (VA)
Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, is a private evangelical Christian school that incorporates faith into its curriculum and daily life. Residential students, for instance, are required to attend a faith-focused convocation every Wednesday and Friday throughout the academic year. Total enrollment hovers around 140,000 students, the vast majority of whom are online learners, and more than 40,000 are affiliated with the U.S. military. The residential student population on the 7,000-acre campus exceeds 16,000, and unmarried undergraduates under age 21 are required to liveon campus. Founded in 1971, Liberty offers certificates and associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in more than 700 programs of study.
Arizona State University
Arizona State University has multiple campuses in the state and beyond, including four in the Phoenix metro area — Tempe, Mesa, downtown Phoenix and Glendale — with total enrollment exceeding 158,000 students. That includes more than 78,000 on-campus students. The most are enrolled at ASU’s main campus in Tempe, and there are more than 80,000 distance learners. About 1 in 3 undergraduates at ASU are first-generation, and more than 25,000 students are connected to the military, according to the school’s website. ASU has more than 850 degree programs, such as in education and teaching, architecture, entrepreneurship, business, and sustainability. Despite a large student body, the average student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1.
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7 colleges that enroll the highest numbers of students
— Utah Valley University
— University of Arizona
— The Ohio State University
— University of Central Florida
— Texas A&M University
— Liberty University (VA)
— Arizona State University
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A Look at Some of the Largest U.S. Colleges originally appeared on usnews.com
