NEWS

Louisiana Tech University achieves record student enrollment

Sep 23, 2015 | General News

— Average freshman ACT score of at least 24.5 for third consecutive year —
Louisiana Tech University has enrolled more students this fall than at any time in its 125-year history.
According to its fall 2015 headcount announced Wednesday, Louisiana Tech has enrolled 12,414 students for the fall quarter – an increase of 1,143 or 10.1 percent over last year and eclipsing the previous record enrollment of 11,975 students set back in fall of 2003.
Along with the record number of students attending Louisiana Tech, the quality of students in the freshman class was highlighted by an average ACT score of 24.5 – the third consecutive year that mark has been achieved or exceeded. Over 55 percent of first-time freshmen at Louisiana Tech scored at or above 24 on their ACT with 149 students earning a score of 32 or higher, which qualifies them as Presidential Scholars.
First-time freshman enrollment grew by nearly six percent over last year, which represents an increase of over 50 percent since the fall quarter of 2012.
“An increase of 50 percent in committed and high-achieving full-time freshmen over the past three years, coupled with a strong student retention effort is helping us to build a larger and stronger student body that will serve this state, region and nation,” said Louisiana Tech President Les Guice. “I want to recognize the tremendous efforts of our faculty and staff in recruitment and retention, and their dedication to offering the quality academic programs that are attracting more and more outstanding students. The growth of our institution and its high-caliber student body is not possible without them.”
Louisiana Tech’s College of Engineering and Science had the largest overall enrollment increase of 205 students (among those who have declared a major) followed by the College of Education, College of Applied and Natural Sciences, College of Business, and College of Liberal Arts.
“The student recruitment and engagement efforts of faculty and staff across our campus, led by the amazing work of our entire admissions team, are critical to highlighting the educational opportunities we offer and the experiences that await students at Louisiana Tech,” said Dr. Jim King, vice president for student advancement. “I am grateful for their efforts and all they have done to make this newest class of Louisiana Tech students feel valued and welcome.”
The record enrollment was accompanied by an increase in the retention of students to Louisiana Tech, from the 2014 freshman cohort. 80.5 percent of first-time, full-time freshmen from fall 2014 returned to Louisiana Tech this year, which is an increase of nearly one percent over last year. Earlier this year, Louisiana Tech reported a four percent increase in its graduation rate to 54 percent, which is highest in the University of Louisiana System and second highest among all public universities in the state.