Enrollment at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is the highest its been since selective admissions standards were implemented in 1999.
Dr. DeWayne Bowie, vice president for Enrollment Management, said 16,763 students are enrolled at UL Lafayette for the Fall 2010 semester. That’s a 2.5 percent increase from last fall’s count – 16,361.
“ Overall, the largest jump in numbers is in first-time freshmen,” said Bowie. Those numbers increased from 2,606 last fall to 2,955 currently. In addition, the incoming freshman class posted the highest average high school GPA (3.25) and highest average ACT composite score (22.4) in history.
Bowie credited efforts such as Enrollment Service’s Backyard Barbecue as helping with the numbers increase. High-achieving students from across the state are invited to this event as an opportunity to visit campus and experience student life.
“ Programs like the barbecue reach out to high school students who are thinking about their college careers,” he explained. “We want to showcase what the university has to offer to these students and their parents. We want to welcome them to campus.”
The university also hosts events such as Preview Day and Academic Signing Day for high school students. During Preview Day, students and their parents get to meet with faculty, staff and current UL Lafayette students to learn more about campus and the admissions process. Academic Signing Day is mirrored after athletic committment signings. High school seniors sign a committment to attend UL Lafayette during a ceremony at their school.
“ These programs combined with college fairs and other events are contributing to the increase in the number of students enrolling,”said Bowie.