Oklahoma Christian fall enrollment exceeds national trends and surpasses past records

Both public and private schools are affected by fluctuations in population, college interest, program interest and other concerns. If college attendance declines nationally, universities often experience a decrease in enrollment and interest in their programs. Like all schools, national averages frequently affect the enrollment rate at Oklahoma Christian University. However, this trend has recently not stood true. 

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment in private for-profit institutions decreased by 55 percent since 2019. This major decrease caused the number of students enrolled in private for-profit colleges to decline from 1.7 million to 777,400. 

This downward trend has negatively impacted several private universities across the country. 

According to CNN, “Cabrini (University) is one of a growing number of US colleges and universities facing financial strain – often due to increasing operating costs, poor fundraising, and declining enrollment.”

However, Oklahoma Christian University broke from the national decrease in enrollment and instead, as of fall 2024, saw a notable increase of incoming freshmen. 

Numerous factors could be linked to the increase in enrollment. In the fall semester of 2024, 394 new college Freshmen students began attending Oklahoma Christian. In comparison to 2023, where there were only 309 new college freshmen, the increase in enrollment by about 27 percent reflects significant growth in just a year. The importance of this increase lies in the sustainability of the university: with a strong freshmen class, there is further certainty in the sustainability of the school. 

In terms of acceptance, Oklahoma Christian has tightened their entry requirements to ensure the school is a good fit for prospective students. Furthermore, there is a focus on ensuring relevant programs remain at the forefront of retention and enrollment. 

“We really want to make sure we are good stewards of people’s resources when they come. So we want to make sure that when they get here, they are going to be successful. We have ways to just make sure that we have the resources to support you when you come here,” Roberts said. 

Roberts believes the authenticity of Oklahoma Christian appeals to modern students who are wary of potentially deceptive marketing strategies. 

“We’ve taken on this really authentic self which I believe is a kingdom university. Which basically says, that we believe in Jesus, we believe in what he did for us. And if you call on the name of Jesus, you are welcome here in our doors.”