Tag: College Enrollment

Nicholls University Achieves High Retention Rates and Growing Academic Programs

Nicholls State University has reported a notable rise in the number of first-generation college students for the fall 2024 semester. According to the 14th-day class statistics, 56.8% of this year’s incoming freshman class falls into the first-generation category, as per this news release from Nicholls. This demographic includes students whose parents or guardians did not obtain a bachelor’s degree. This figure marks a 3.1% increase from the previous academic year, reflecting Nicholls’ continued efforts to support and expand access to higher education.

Despite the increase in first-generation students, Nicholls’ overall enrollment has experienced a slight decline. The current student body totals 6,065, which is a decrease of 135 students from fall 2023. This drop is largely attributed to a reduction in dual enrollment students and a decrease in residents from Nicholls’ eight-parish service region. The student body comprises 5,539 undergraduates and 526 graduate students. Nonetheless, Nicholls continues to excel in student retention, with a strong 76.6% retention rate for full-time, bachelor-degree-seeking students year after year.

Renee Hicks, Assistant Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Access, and Success, emphasized the university’s commitment to supporting its students. She remarked that Nicholls’ dedicated efforts ensure that students are well-prepared to succeed both academically and professionally. Hicks highlighted that the increasing number of local students continuing their education at Nicholls is a clear indicator of the personalized and supportive environment fostered by the university’s faculty and staff. This support not only helps retain students but also contributes to the retention of graduates within the service region.

In terms of university housing, Nicholls has experienced a high occupancy rate, with 97% of the 1,399 available beds filled this semester. This high demand reflects the growing appeal of on-campus living among students.

Several academic departments at Nicholls have shown impressive growth compared to the previous year. The Management and Marketing departments have seen a 20.3% increase in enrollment, while the Applied Sciences department has surged by an impressive 49.2%. The Music department has also grown by 19.6%, and the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute has experienced an 11.1% increase. Additionally, the Petroleum Engineering Technology and Safety Management program has grown by 10.6%. These increases underscore the expanding interest in these fields and the university’s successful efforts to enhance its academic offerings.

The most popular majors for the fall 2024 semester at Nicholls include Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Business Administration/Computer Information Systems, Biology, Teacher Education, and Psychology, Counseling, and Family Studies. This diverse array of popular fields highlights the broad range of academic interests among the student body and the university’s ability to cater to these needs effectively.

Ahead of the fall semester, Nicholls hosted its third annual First-Generation Experience event, sponsored by OnPath Federal Credit Union. This event was designed to equip first-generation students with essential tools for their college journey. The conference-style event offered a variety of informational sessions, covering topics such as effective study strategies, course preparation, time management, financial aid, and campus involvement. The aim of the event was to provide first-generation students with the resources and confidence needed to navigate their college experience successfully. The impact of a supportive college experience on first-generation students can significantly influence their future career trajectories and personal achievements.

Nicholls State University’s efforts to support first-generation students and enhance academic programs reflect its commitment to fostering a thriving and inclusive educational environment. The increased enrollment of first-generation students and the growth in various academic departments are indicative of the university’s ongoing success and adaptability in meeting the evolving needs of its student population.

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Louisiana Public Universities Report Fall Enrollment Increase

Despite countless obstacles leading up to the start of the 2020-2021 school year, nearly across the board, Louisiana public universities saw higher student enrollment numbers for the fall semester than in previous years, as reported by the Advocate.

In fact, several public universities across the state saw record-breaking statistics, such as Louisiana State Universityin Baton Rouge and Northwestern State University seeing their largest classes in the histories of either school. Similarly, Nicholls State University is holding its largest class since 1990 with similar increases to enrollment observed by the University of New Orleans, Southeastern Louisiana University, and LSU campuses in Eunice, Alexandria, and Shreveport.

The only school to have a slight dip in enrollment numbers for the Fall 2020 semester was the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, but president of the University of Louisiana System, Jim Henderson attributes the school’s enrollment decline to a nearby school district. He remarked that due to the Lafayette Parish school board’s delay in activating the dual enrollment program, which allows current high schoolers to enroll in collegiate sources, attributed to the decrease in enrollment in an otherwise “good recruitment year.”

The increase in enrollment for most universities certainly came as a shock to the state, collegiate communities, and the schools themselves with the Covid-19 pandemic casting a hazy shadow on the specifics of how the upcoming school year would be affected. Earlier this fall results from a survey of 433 senior admissions officials detailed that 60% were “very concerned” about meeting their institution’s enrollment goals for the fall.

Similarly, Gallup conducted the 2020 Insider Higher Ed Survey of College and University Admissions Officials, and they found that most colleges expected there to be a general decrease in enrollment for the 2020 semester. Earlier this year as colleges around the country closed down to slow the contagiency of the coronavirus, many officials in higher education were anxious about enrollment numbers dropping, and they launched task forces to calculate and mitigate the expected losses.

President Jim Henderson told the Advocate, “we had a lot of uncertainty this year. We’ve been through a lot: tumult, pandemic, campus closures, now storms.” The University of Louisiana System, for which Henderson is the president, oversees nine four-year institutions that educate 91,000 of the state’s approximately 215,000 post-secondary students.

The increases in enrollment data comes from campus censuses conducted by the Board of Regents, who oversee all public colleges and universities. The data is required in an official capacity, as a few weeks following a school’s opening of classes, they are to report their “Enrollment Counts,” and being that each school’s opening timeline differs from school-to-school in a traditional year, the data comes in on a varying timeline.

One particular school that was set to receive more students than in previous years was McNeese State University, but with the damages accrued by Hurricane Laura, the campus suspended classes, thus setting back the Regents’ timeline.

National job losses that accompanied the economic shutdown motivated many students across the state to improve their credentials and become more employable, resulting in the enrollment rise that puts Louisisna’s post secondary schools against the national expectation. Remarking about the recent drive by Louisiana students to improve their economic outlook is the University of New Orleans president John Nicklow, who told the Advocate, “In recent months, we have learned a number of lessons about how to be more flexible and better support our students in completing their degrees; those lessons will help us serve our community and state far into the future.”

UNO added 144 more students this semester, bringing the total enrollment up to 8,375 students, which is 1.75% higher than the previous year. Additionally, 20% more freshmen students enrolled. President Nicklow stated, “especially in light of the pandemic, a college education will be even more important.”

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College Enrollment in Louisiana at a High

Louisiana Believes posted an article expanding on the achievements of the Class of 2018. The number of Louisiana graduates seeking college enrollment has climbed to an all-time high.

The Louisiana Department of Education and the Louisiana Board of Regents have partnered up to announce that over 25,000 high school graduates (the Class of 2018) in the public school system were enrolled into higher education right after their graduation. This is over 4,000 more than the Class of 2012, that is an increase of 23 percent.

Not only are students pursuing a higher education, they are also using their resources like TOPS to get financial help. TOPS stands for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students. It is a “program of state scholarships for Louisiana residents who attend either one of the Louisiana Public Colleges and Universities, schools that are a part of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System or institutions that are a part of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.”

Over half of this growth is due to the increasing amount of African-American students furthering their education after high school and seeking college enrollment. More than 2,500 more African-American students enrolled in some form of higher education than the students that graduated in 2012. Commissioner of Higher Education,  Kim Hunter Reed made a statement,  “We are delighted to applaud this good news because we know what it means for our students. In today’s rapidly changing economy a high school diploma is no longer enough.”

The statewide graduation results came in for the Class of 2018, showing that Louisiana achieved its highest cohort in its history. Not only did it show that more students were furthering their education, it also showed that the rate for students who errands “early-college credit” also rose, Even just the amount of students graduating increased. Here are other highlights of the Class of 2018:

  • The amount of students seeking college enrollment in an out-of-state school has slightly risen. 88 percent for instate and 12 percent for out-of-state. In 2017, it was 89 percent in state and 11 percent out-of-state.
  • The amount of students who enrolled in a two year program vs a four year program stayed the same. For the Class of 2018, 71 percent were enrolled in four year colleges and 29 percent were enrolled in two year programs.
  • Over twenty school systems beat the record. The top three school systems were St. James, Zachary, and West Feliciana parishes.

Here is a list of things Louisiana is doing to try and raise the college enrollment:

  • Offering students dual enrollment, helping them obtain college credits while taking courses in high school.
  • Diversified and expanded Jump Start; a program helping students adjust to the workplace and career courses.
  • It is required for students to choose if they want to complete the financial aid forms that would help fund furthering their education.
  • The state has an accountability system that measures schools to see if they equip students for furthering their education.
  • Every 11th grade student has access to the ACT. No matter their background or even their financial status.

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