Louisiana ranks the lowest of its southern neighboring states in the number of students who complete college within six years, according to a new report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

In its report, Measure Up 2006: The National Report Card on Higher Education, the nonprofit group gave Louisiana a C- for its six-year graduation rates. It also issued grades on a number of other factors including affordability and opportunities given to students to gain an education after high school. The C- is the highest grade given to Louisiana in any of the six categories measured.

The state's colleges and universities began combating low retention and graduation rates years ago with plans to incrementally step up admissions requirements and with the formation of regional community colleges to better prepare students for a four-year university.

The improvements from those efforts are just beginning to be seen, and wouldn't be reflected in the Report Card, said Steve Landry, vice president of academic affairs at UL.

"People forget that we were an open admissions university and that anybody could get in," Landry said. "Now with a community college (system) and selective admissions, the people coming in are better prepared. I see that in the next couple of years, because of our increases in selectivity, we will make a better report."

Some improvement already is being seen.

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Marsha Sills
msills@theadvertiser.com