Louisiana Student Enrollment 1901-2024

[RaginCajun77]

Is admissions selecting the wrong people??? Or is our school as an R1 harder than the kids expected

Honestly, I think it comes down to students not being prepared and/or ready for college/college life. You can be a great student in high school, come to college and experience the freedom, nightlife, and studies get derailed. In some cases I think students aren't ready for the pace of college when compared to high school and they struggle.

[CajunFun]

Is admissions selecting the wrong people??? Or is our school as an R1 harder than the kids expected

Don't forget, we are near the top, or at the top, of all US universities for diversity (race, nationality, income, et al.), inclusion, and 1st family members to attend college.

And don't forget that some of our kids work one or more jobs to be able to cover tuition. A number of those students are parents with kids, sometimes single parents.

And then don't forget that we try to maintain our academic standards in the face of declining standards nationally.

Retention will always be a problem if we are trying to do it right, if we are trying to give everyone a chance, but still insisting on excellence. Low retention should only be a problem if we are failing to offer our kids the support they need to pass their classes.

[Turbine]

Are you looking at enrollment, or attendance?

Enrollment left column.

Degree seekers.

I don't think non-degree seeks are ever going to affect attendance

[Boomer]

Are you looking at enrollment, or attendance?

We want to be careful to keep things in context, and look at the big picture. In the past couple of decades:

1. We built a community college system in the region, which pulled down our enrollment.

2. We implemented increasingly higher enrollment standards, which pulled down our enrollment.

3. College tuitions have increased more than an order of magnitude, which pulled down our enrollment.

And yet:

1. Our enrollment is still growing... to the point that we can't handle more freshmen (we had to rent some hotels, remember?)

2. The quality of our students is climbing steadily.

3. Our governmental support is skyrocketing.

4. We made R1.

5. Our research funding is growing faster than almost anyone else in the country, and we are now the research leader among Louisiana public universities (yes, including LSU).

6. Our graduate programs are growing quickly, and we're closing in on SREB Doctoral 1.

7. Our campus, including our athletics facilities, is expanding and improving constantly.

8. Our athletics programs reach the top 25 more and more frequently.

9. And somehow, out of the blue, our conference jumped from the dregs of Division 1, to the top of the midmajors.

There are only 2 public universities in the state that are in a solid financial situation: Louisiana, and LSU.

Again, keep things in context. We have been building this University for over 125 years. And as I have noted before, we have slowly outpaced all the schools that were once our peers, and rivals. We did all of that with vision, hard work, and patience.

And we ain't through, yet.

….Hey Doc Fun …..thought of maybe borrowing a Greenie plan….the neighbors of Tulane’s campus are upset with the “doubles to dorms” happening there…..some say a scheme to get jocks in houses close to campus….Lets buy up all the houses from our main campus to the closest part of the remaining areas…..also a track for our Cajun Tram!!!……btw can somebody put the map of our needed areas of planning?

[HoustonCajun]

Don't forget, we are near the top, or at the top, of all US universities for diversity (race, nationality, income, et al.), inclusion, and 1st family members to attend college.

And don't forget that some of our kids work one or more jobs to be able to cover tuition. A number of those students are parents with kids, sometimes single parents.

And then don't forget that we try to maintain our academic standards in the face of declining standards nationally.

Retention will always be a problem if we are trying to do it right, if we are trying to give everyone a chance, but still insisting on excellence. Low retention should only be a problem if we are failing to offer our kids the support they need to pass their classes.

How does UL count "on-line" learning students? If a student pays tuition, does it matter if classes are in-person or on-line? Is this a growing area for UL? I have to believe that schools that report huge enrollment numbers include on-line students. Even if they are only taking one class a semester, they are still enrolled.

[zeppelincajun]

Retention will always be a problem if we are trying to do it right, if we are trying to give everyone a chance, but still insisting on excellence. Low retention should only be a problem if we are failing to offer our kids the support they need to pass their classes.

Admitting to college young people who have a low probability of finishing is not inclusion and giving everyone a shot. It’s a strategy to collect a quick buck and keep enrollment numbers high. Your admission standards should match the academic standards you expect throughout the collegiate experience. Anything else and you’ve left the realm of education and entered into thievery.

[CharlieK]

Poor Baldwin, he just happened to be there when UL lost 9% of its student body.

Baldwin being hired coincided almost exactly with when we went to selective admissions.

You are the absolute king of thinking correlation means causation, especially when you think it supports your predetermined theory.

[ZoomZoom]

Baldwin being hired coincided almost exactly with when we went to selective admissions.

You are the absolute king of thinking correlation means causation, especially when you think it supports your predetermined theory.

As a wise man once said, 6-27.

[Turbine]

Baldwin being hired coincided almost exactly with when we went to selective admissions.

You are the absolute king of thinking correlation means causation, especially when you think it supports your predetermined theory.

Putting your disregard aside because I get it. Its not plainfully obvious to everyone. And I agree correlation has variables.

However to your example, when selective admissions began in 1997 (the year emmediately following Jake Delhommes stellar career) enrollment actually grew to over 17,000, an all time record.

The second year of selective admissions enrollment dropped less than 50 students off the all time peak. The second highest number of degree seekers in school history at the time.

But your saying that during Baldwin's tenure selective admissions, suddenly did something it hadn't done the first two years? Namely chased students away?

I think it may have been a combination of factors.

Somebody was definitely being selective.

[NewsCopy]

Does sports glory create a spike in college applications?

It’s not a slam dunk.

Full Story
Washington Post