As the fall semester progresses at UCM, increased campus activity has drawn students’ attention to a possible rise in enrollment. Many believe, walkways appear more crowded, parking lots reach capacity earlier in the day and some classrooms have seen high attendance. Shared observations raise a larger question about whether these visible shifts reflect broader enrollment changes. University data provides a closer look at how student observations compare to official figures.
“I feel like it’s more crowded and the foot traffic on campus is more prominent this year,” Reece Troyer, a junior studying psychology, said.
University data confirms the trend. Undergraduate enrollment increased from 6,321 in Fall 2023 to 6,411 in Fall 2024 and 6,438 in Fall 2025. The freshman class grew by 12% to 1,115 in Fall 2025 compared to 993 in Fall 2024. This number is the highest it has reached since the Fall of 2019. New undergraduate international student enrollment was up around 16% versus the first day of Fall 2024. According to Chris Lang, Assistant Vice Provost for Admissions and Data Analytics, the majority of on-campus students are undergraduates.
“I have definitely noticed fewer parking spots,” Maya Parks, a junior studying Spanish and professional piloting, said. “I am still able to find somewhere to park even if it is farther away.”
Along with undergraduate enrollment, UCM’s overall enrollment, including students who are fully remote and at the Lee’s Summit campus, has increased from 11,627 in Fall 2024 to 11,837 in Fall 2025. Lang says, behind the numbers is a strategic push to attract and retain students. UCM’s outreach includes campus visits, test-optional admissions and FAFSA encouragement. For nontraditional students, flexible course offerings and the Lee’s Summit campus are key draws, according to Lang.
“I chose UCM because they have an aviation program; however, once I took a campus tour, I knew I loved this university and immediately applied,” Parks said.
In response to national conversations regarding student loan debt, evolving visa regulations and the expected drop in high school graduation rates in the upcoming year as a result of the 2008 recession, UCM is actively evaluating and updating its enrollment outreach programs to better serve students. Some of these include granting in-state tuition scholarships to 15 additional states. Even though 85% of enrollment occurs within 100 miles of Warrensburg, the university is actively expanding its reach beyond that distance by tapping into alumni networks across the country.
“Around 40% of our undergraduate population is first generation,” Lang said. “We are changing family trajectories. At the end of the day, each of those numbers is an actual person who is going to college to better themselves. Seeing them put their plan into action, ultimately, numbers are numbers, but when you see them following their dreams, that’s a successful enrollment season. That’s what we are supposed to be doing.”
Additional information on UCM’s enrollment data and outreach efforts is available on the Campus Data Hub page on the university’s official website.
