COLUMBIA (AP) - Enrollment at the University of Missouri-Columbia has again topped 34,000.
The university said Monday that it began fall semester classes with 34,111 students - down 144 students from the record high set the previous year. The freshman class of 6,227 students is the university's second largest behind last year's record of 6,560.
The university reported increases of more than 3 percent in the number of minority students and international students.
Meanwhile, about 600 University of Missouri students moved into a new student apartment complex in south Columbia.
The Aspen Heights complex was not expected to open until the end of the month but good weather allowed construction crews to finish ahead of scheduled. The students were able to move in Saturday.
Three of the four phases of the complex are now in use. The fourth phase of construction is expected to be completed in the next six weeks. It will house 80 tenants, who are currently being housed in other apartments.
The complex is being constructed by Aspen Heights, a Texas-based student housing provider.