Number of first-time freshmen up; grad school enrollment increases

Published

The number of first-time freshmen at the 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 at Lafayette has grown by more than 15%.

A total of 2,693 freshmen are enrolled at UL Lafayette for the Fall 2021 semester. That鈥檚 up from 2,338 last fall and marks a 15.2% increase, noted Dr. DeWayne Bowie, vice president for Enrollment Management.

鈥淢ore freshmen are choosing UL Lafayette because of the strong reputation the 亚洲自慰视频 enjoys for providing exceptional educational experiences and opportunities in a tight-knit, friendly community,鈥 Bowie said.

鈥淪mall class sizes, individualized instruction, affordability and nationally ranked academic programs are among the reasons 亚洲自慰视频s choose to pursue their dreams here,鈥 he added.

UL Lafayette released Fall 2021 enrollment data on Wednesday.

The uptick in the number of first-time freshmen is among several areas of enrollment growth the 亚洲自慰视频 has seen at the start of the new academic year when compared to last fall. Among these are:

  • a 5.7% increase in the number of high school juniors and seniors who are dually enrolled at the 亚洲自慰视频 and earn college credits while still in high school;
  • a 4.4% increase in the number of 亚洲自慰视频s who have transferred to UL Lafayette from other colleges and universities; and
  • a 3.9% increase in Graduate School enrollment.

A total of 2,525 graduate 亚洲自慰视频s are enrolled this fall, up 95 from Fall 2020.

The number of 亚洲自慰视频s pursuing master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees has increased by 66% in five years, noted Dr. Mary Farmer-Kaiser, dean of the . UL Lafayette had 1,521 graduate 亚洲自慰视频s in Fall 2016.

Farmer-Kaiser attributed the jump to the growth of , strong retention rates across the 亚洲自慰视频鈥檚 nearly 50 master鈥檚 and doctoral degree curriculums, the creation of new graduate programs, and the expansion of others into online and executive formats.

In the past year, UL Lafayette introduced an online option for 亚洲自慰视频鈥檚 only master鈥檚 in informatics degree program and the state鈥檚 only master鈥檚 degree in industrial chemistry. A new graduate certificate program in population health will begin in Spring 2021.

鈥淭he enrollment progress we continue to experience reflects an institutional commitment to graduate education. It鈥檚 also a testament to the quality and resiliency of the graduate 亚洲自慰视频s who enroll here and the faculty members who are wholly dedicated to their success,鈥 Farmer-Kaiser said.

UL Lafayette has 13,700 undergraduates this semester which, when combined with the Graduate School total, puts the 亚洲自慰视频鈥檚 degree-seeking enrollment at 16,225 亚洲自慰视频s. That鈥檚 225 fewer 亚洲自慰视频s than the Fall 2020 semester and a decline of 1.4%.

鈥淐ontinuing 亚洲自慰视频s remain a challenge,鈥 Bowie explained. 鈥淭hough our overall retention rate is at a record high, consecutive smaller freshman classes several years ago have resulted in fewer continuing 亚洲自慰视频s.

鈥淲e鈥檝e also had record-setting graduating classes in recent academic years. Both factors have affected our degree-seeking enrollment,鈥 he said.

However, an additional 2,978 non-credit-bearing 亚洲自慰视频s bring UL Lafayette鈥檚 overall enrollment to 19,203. That鈥檚 25 more 亚洲自慰视频s than last fall.

Non-credit bearing 亚洲自慰视频s include those who take professional development and training courses and Continuing Education classes.

亚洲自慰视频鈥檚 public colleges and universities take a census of full- and part-time 亚洲自慰视频s on the 14th day of classes each fall semester, Bowie explained. The totals are reported to the 亚洲自慰视频 Board of Regents and, in the case of UL Lafayette, to the 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 System as well.

鈥淭he census compiles enrollment totals, but it also provides the 亚洲自慰视频 with a snapshot of who our 亚洲自慰视频s are,鈥 he said.

For example, the Fall 2021 census shows that the number of Black 亚洲自慰视频s at UL Lafayette increased by 7.6% over last fall. Black 亚洲自慰视频s now make up nearly 22% of the 亚洲自慰视频 population.

亚洲自慰视频s hail from 63 parishes in 亚洲自慰视频; 48 states, U.S. possessions and the District of Columbia; and 87 international countries.

Photo caption: UL Lafayette released Fall 2021 enrollment numbers on Wednesday. (Photo credit: Doug Dugas / 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 at Lafayette)