For the fourth year in a row, a record number of students have enrolled at the 鶹AV.
Total enrollment for the Fall 2017 semester is 19,291 students, up from the 19,188 students who enrolled last fall, said Dr. DeWayne Bowie, 鶹AV’s vice president for Enrollment Management.
“The University continues to attract students from across the country and the world. We have students from every parish in Louisiana, from 48 states and from over 70 countries,” Bowie said.
Increased enrollment can be attributed, in part, to the growth in the University’s graduate programs. Overall, a total of 1,631 students are seeking graduate degrees this semester, which is 7 percent higher than the 1,521 students who enrolled last fall.
There are more graduate students for several reasons, including efforts to grow online programs and to add fellowship and assistantship stipends, said Dr. Mary Farmer-Kaiser, dean of the Graduate School.
“The University’s commitment to graduate education over the last few years is producing significant results at both the masters and doctoral level,” Farmer-Kaiser said.
Attracting a diverse student population also remains important, Bowie said. He noted, for example, an increase among students of Asian, Hispanic, Native American and Pacific Island descent.
The University also continues to admit academically-strong undergraduates.
Among the 2,982 students in the Fall 2017 freshman class, there are 114 high school valedictorians. “That’s our second-largest number ever,” Bowie said. The average ACT score for freshmen is 23.86. Their average cumulative high school GPA this semester is 3.37.
Photo: The cumulative high school GPA of Fall 2017 freshman is 3.37. There are 114 high school valedictorians among the 2,982 students in the freshman class. See a high-res version of the . Credit: Doug Dugas/鶹AV