Although enrollment is slightly down this semester at Nicholls, incoming students are better prepared for the challenges of higher education, school officials say.
Seventy fewer students than last year — down from 7,332 to 7,262 — are registered for classes this semester, accounting for approximately a one percent decline since last fall.
Total enrollment at colleges and universities in Louisiana, however, increased by more than three percent, according to the Louisiana Board of Regents. Regardless, Nicholls officials are content.
“While we would have preferred to see a slight increase in enrollment, we are pleased with these results,” Michael Delaune, director of University relations, said in a press release. “I believe we are seeing the initial reaction to our message of quality.”
In-state enrollment decreased in 21 of the institution’s well-known feeder parishes including Lafourche, Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Charles. Enrollment did increase in 20 parishes including Terrebonne and St. Mary.
Out-of-state student enrollment has grown by more than 12 percent to 195 students, while international student enrollment has fallen from 78 to 65 students.
Historically, reports show that Nicholls has had trouble retaining students throughout the duration of college, a trend that seems to be changing.
According to the latest figures, 75 percent of last year’s freshmen on the Tuition Opportunity Plan for Students scholarship program returned this semester. Last year, only 57.3 percent chose to return to Nicholls. “We are gratified that they are remaining at Nicholls State,” Delaune said.
Delaune has other reasons to be satisfied. Average ACT composite scores for incoming freshmen reached an all-time high, rising from 19.33 to 19.50 this year. Although the margin seems small, Courtney Cassard, assistant director of enrollment services, said it is significant.
“We can’t stress enough how hard it is to raise ACT scores by that much,” she said, claiming 19.4 was the original goal. “It was only possible through extraordinary recruiting efforts of our faculty, staff and students.”
While Nicholls will implement more stringent selective admissions standards in 2005, Cassard said the University has already begun recruiting students who will fulfill the new standards, leading to the initial decline in enrollment.
“We don’t want students who will come here and immediately be unsuccessful,” Cassard said. “We want to have the highest quality of students.”
Under the new admissions standards, students may not have more than one remedial course and must have at least a 2.0 grade-point-average and an ACT composite score of 20 or rank in the top half of the student’s high school graduating class. The Board of Regents mandated all Louisiana institutions to adopt the new standards.
Non-traditional students age 25 and older and international students will not be required to meet the standards.
Cassard said even if area high school graduates do not meet the new standards, they would still have the opportunity to attend remedial and lower level classes at L.E. Fletcher Community College in Houma.
“We are not saying some students are not welcome here, but we need to focus our time and resources on students we know will be able to graduate. For some, that won’t be right away,” she said.
After students earn at least 12 credit hours at the community college, Cassard said students would be eligible to transfer to Nicholls and earn a bachelor’s degree. “The opportunity for every student will still be there,” she said.
Although Nicholls’ enrollment may continue to decrease over the next couple years with stricter standards, Cassard said enrollment should eventually grow because many students will transfer from the community college to Nicholls and remain until graduation.
“Our quality will be improved and we will have a higher graduation rate because students will stay (at Nicholls) for the duration, simply because they will be better prepared,” Cassard said.
Cassard also said enrollment would increase in the long-term because the newer standards will force area high schools to raise their standards to better prepare students for college. Most students graduating high school will be at the level of the new standards, Cassard said.
Nicholls also launched a recruitment campaign across the state in the spring with billboards and pamphlets reading: “Come here … Go far.” The slogan is intended to convince high school students that although standards will be raised, their future will be brighter if they choose Nicholls, admissions director Becky Durocher recently told The Houma Courier.
The slogan is also intended raise awareness of the new standards among high school students, so they can take appropriate classes before graduation. Over the next few years, the University will spend almost $80,000 on the campaign slogan to recruit students.
The long-term effects of the new enrollment standards and recruitment will help Nicholls gain more respect around the state and continue to grow, Cassard said.
“The new standards will enhance not only the quality of the students and reputation of the school,” she said, “but will also increase retention and graduation rates, which means enrollment will increase as well.”