Abstract:
During the late 1970's and early 1980's, fewer individuals enrolled in agricultural and life sciences programs at U.S. colleges and universities (Coulter, 1982). The Ohio State University's College of Agriculture enrollment declined from a high of 3,174 undergraduate students in 1977 to 1,858 undergraduate students by the autumn of 1986 (Staff, 1986). The decline in enrollment in the College of Agriculture parallels the drop in the number of high school graduates in the United States (Cowell, 1985). As a result, college enrollment changed from a seller's market of the early 70's to a buyer's market in the 80's (Discenza, 1985). As enrollments decline there were accompanying budget reductions. Perhaps more importantly, though, the reduced number of students who are prepared in the agricultural sciences will impact negatively on the nation's need for expertise in agriculture and natural resources.
Keywords:
recruitment, non-traditional students, increasing enrollment
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