News Release

Summer enrollment up, projections strong for fall semester


Contact: Rene Abadie

6/18/09



     HAMMOND – Summer enrollment at Southeastern Louisiana University is up 3.7 percent over last year, and university officials say enrollment projections for the fall semester are looking strong as well.

     According to official records as of the seventh class day on Monday (June 15), 5,555 students are enrolled in summer classes, which got underway June 3. Compared to last summer’s enrollment, the number of graduate students is up 7.4 percent, while undergraduate enrollment increased by 2.8 percent. The largest increases there are in freshman and sophomore classifications – up 8.9 percent and 9.9 percent respectively.

     Meanwhile, compared to figures at this time last year, total applications for the fall semester are up more than 4.5 percent, with freshman applications up slightly more than 4 percent. Significantly, the number of new freshmen who have already completed the application process and have been formally accepted to the university is up 6.3 percent over the number at the same time last year.

     “We are very excited about the fall numbers and are proud that so many students are expressing confidence in our academic programs – despite proposed reductions in state funding for Southeastern and other Louisiana colleges and universities,” said President John L. Crain. “We remain committed to our core mission of academic success.”

     Crain said he was especially pleased to see that the number of entering freshmen with an ACT score of 24 or higher – those considered highly qualified – continues to increase. To date, the number of freshmen formally admitted for fall with a 24 or higher ACT score is up more than 13 percent compared to the same point last year.

     “High school students are getting the message that in order to succeed at a university, they need to be well prepared academically,” Crain said. “We've seen our freshman ACT scores increase steadily in recent years and another unprecedented increase is expect this year. This is an important factor that impacts the success and eventual graduation of college students.”

     Stephen Soutullo, assistant vice president for enrollment management, said fall applications for Southeastern’s 20 graduate degree programs are also up by more than 13 percent, while graduate matriculations – students who have applied and registered – are up by more than 83 percent compared to this time last year.

     “Our continuing undergraduate students are also registering for fall at a higher rate than at this time last year, especially during the last couple of weeks,” Soutullo said. “We began an open registration period for the first time last year that enables continuing students to register for their fall classes anytime between April and the start of the fall semester in August. So far, more than 76 percent of students eligible to return for the fall semester have already registered for fall classes.

     He said fall projections also indicate the number of students returning for a second undergraduate degree is up 36 percent.



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