September 2005

Northwestern welcomes 117 chiropractic students

A record number of students — 167 — new students enrolled at Northwestern Health Sciences University this fall, including 117 in the incoming chiropractic class.

Additionally, the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine enrolled 26 students; and the School of Massage Therapy had 24 new students, according to Ruth Ann Marks, Northwestern’s director of student records and financial services.

The fall trimester boasts Northwestern’s all-time record number of full-time equivalents (FTE). FTE equals the number of full-time students plus the number of part-time hours divided by the full-time status definition.

Currently Northwestern has 877.52 FTEs. Last fall trimester there were 826.2 FTEs. In 2003, the figure was 775.88. Since 1994, the number of FTEs have grown by 33 percent at Northwestern.

Additionally, more full- and part-time students enrolled on Northwestern Health Sciences University’s campus for the fall trimester than there have been since 1999. Currently 895 students are taking classes at Northwestern. The record enrollment was 908 in 1999.

Last fall there were 844 students on campus; in 2003 there were 794.

Alfred Traina, DC, president of Northwestern noted that the university’s 2005-2010 strategic plan calls for the institution to become “the nation’s university of choice in natural healthcare education.”

Bill Kuehl, BA, director of admissions for Northwestern, notes that colleges and universities are projecting declines in enrollment due to demographic shifts. At chiropractic colleges specifically, enrollment declined roughly 39 percent between 1996 and 2002. Another decline is expected within the next five years.

The admissions department has been working to market the university as a world-class institution, says Kuehl. The university has been taking steps toward interacting with prospective students in a way that helps them feel connected to the school. Each inquiry is given personal attention by a member of the admissions staff; as a result, the number of students entering the university has been increasing despite a drop-off in the number of prospective students making inquiries.

Source: Northwestern Health Sciences University, www.nwhealth.edu

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