FBS Student Enrollment

[Cool Hand Clyde]

The thing I don't get is why area students (with good grads) go to ULM, NSU, or even LSUS.

Program of study, money, time constraints, family tradition, etc.

[svb002]

The thing I don't get is why area students (with good grads) go to ULM, NSU, or even LSUS.

Back when I graduated in 2001, ULM and Northwestern would throw scholarship money at you. If you were majoring in education, business, etc., they would more than pay for school if you had good GPA/ACT, so it made sense to choose them. I could have doubled my scholarships choosing another school over Tech if I had wanted. And believe it or not, some of those schools do have some better programs than Tech does.

[RealityCheck]

Thanks. I think it's probably more so embellishment than confusion. It's the same public enrollment goal of 15K since DR was in office. Just that LG is doing something to get there.

DR was great about setting goals and then ignoring them.

And long as Tech is working toward 15K, and even if it only gets to 13K or 14K in the next five years, that would be more steps in right direction in this area than DR ever came close to producing.

Part of the appeal of Tech is not being in 200-seat auditoriums for every class as a freshman or sophomore. Tech can maintain that appeal with steady growth and not just growth for the sake of growth.

[Built4Speed]

Back when I graduated in 2001, ULM and Northwestern would throw scholarship money at you. If you were majoring in education, business, etc., they would more than pay for school if you had good GPA/ACT, so it made sense to choose them. I could have doubled my scholarships choosing another school over Tech if I had wanted. And believe it or not, some of those schools do have some better programs than Tech does.

I have to agree with this. ULM was going to pay me to attend there through TOPS, scholarships, fee waivers, etc, but they didn't have anything I was interested in studying, so I came to Tech instead. I seriously could've made more money attending ULM than holding down the part time job I did when attending Tech.

Also, a number of my friends and family are all ULM grads, and none of them are dumb people. My mom is an RN, uncle is a research pharmacist who also has a masters in Chemistry, best friend is a commercial flight instructor, and my girlfriend is finishing up pre-professional health studies on her way to cytotechnology/cytogenetics school in either Jackson or Houston. ULM isn't a bad place to study a handful of subjects, tbh. However, no one's choosing ULM due to academic "prestige" unless it's pharmacy. Just saying that they don't completely suck at everything. And really, when it comes to a college education, you get out what you put into it.

That said, a lot of area kids pick ULM because it's seen as an easy school to get into and it's inexpensive. It's also familiar in a way that reminds them of high school, so there's not that "OMG college is so big and scary" reaction when arriving on campus your first day. Most of their friends are there, it's close to home so they still have the mom/dad safety net, etc. Then there's the Delta --> ULM feeder programs for subpar students and non-traditional students that is a good option for a lot of people.

[olddog75]

DR was great about setting goals and then ignoring them.

And long as Tech is working toward 15K, and even if it only gets to 13K or 14K in the next five years, that would be more steps in right direction in this area than DR ever came close to producing.

Part of the appeal of Tech is not being in 200-seat auditoriums for every class as a freshman or sophomore. Tech can maintain that appeal with steady growth and not just growth for the sake of growth.

Unfortuntely, we have to grow as the additional tuition is critical to our survival with the State's disregard of higher education. Hopefully, its quality growth (ie. HS students with higher stats), but we must grow, whether you call it growth for the sake of growth or something else. Our growth will come from a larger portion of o/s Louisiana students as quality Louisiana HS students are limited. We need to grow 5%+ per year. Seems doable, but we have been a stagnate (small changes) university in that regard, so it will be a challenge. I am hopeful.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

We need to be at 20k asap. Larger enrollment means more goodwill ambassadors being sent out into the world every quarter. Just imagine how much Football attendance would encrease on average with double our enrollement.

I agree!! And this would provide more funds for TECH through giving alumni. And I'm pretty sure I heard him state 20,000 at one dinner event.
Then again I'm getting old.

[glm47]

We need a bigger enrollment. If there's anywhere that LA Tech has experienced failure over the last 3 decades, it's in the area of growth and enrollment. Instead of staying at 10K to 11K for decades, we need to get the enrolllment numbers up to 17K. It will make a huge difference

You are so right. This was DR's biggest failure and that is saying something because he had some whoppers.

[TechFanno1]

Guys, Dr Guice has stated a goal of getting our enrollment up to 20,000 students. And he and his staff work non stop and completing his goals and vision. I like what I'm seeing!!

Dittos my daughter graduated last May in the largest ever Tech graduation.Like what we are trying to do in Texas. Sorority sister of my daughter said it was cheaper.coming.to Tech for same degree offered in Texas.

[RealityCheck]

Unfortuntely, we have to grow as the additional tuition is critical to our survival with the State's disregard of higher education. Hopefully, its quality growth (ie. HS students with higher stats), but we must grow, whether you call it growth for the sake of growth or something else. Our growth will come from a larger portion of o/s Louisiana students as quality Louisiana HS students are limited. We need to grow 5%+ per year. Seems doable, but we have been a stagnate (small changes) university in that regard, so it will be a challenge. I am hopeful.

Growth for the sake of growth would be increasing enrollment 20% and increasing average class size by 25%. As enrollment grows, the infrastructure supporting the enrollment growth must keep pace.

Another term for growth for the sake of growth would be unsustainable growth.

[boxerdog]

Coming from a high school counselor--selective admissions is the best thing Tech has ever done in terms of improving the school's image and building enrollment. Predictably, there was an early drop but it has begun to build and more topflight students are interested in coming to Ruston. There's something about exclusivity that generates interest. Elite.

[glm47]

Coming from a high school counselor--selective admissions is the best thing Tech has ever done in terms of improving the school's image and building enrollment. Predictably, there was an early drop but it has begun to build and more topflight students are interested in coming to Ruston. There's something about exclusivity that generates interest. Elite.

Why is it predictable that enrollment would go down initially? How many honor students are there in LA, East TX, South AR, West MS? What was our budget for marketing Tech to these students? Accepting that higher standards meant a decrease in enrollment is a cop out?

[Cool Hand Clyde]

Why is it predictable that enrollment would go down initially? How many honor students are there in LA, East TX, South AR, West MS? What was our budget for marketing Tech to these students? Accepting that higher standards meant a decrease in enrollment is a cop out?

It happens at all public schools when they raise standards. I researched this topic when we went to.selective admissions

[boxerdog]

Why is it predictable that enrollment would go down initially? How many honor students are there in LA, East TX, South AR, West MS? What was our budget for marketing Tech to these students? Accepting that higher standards meant a decrease in enrollment is a cop out?

If I told you the number of Louisiana highschool graduates that qualify (due to our admission standards) for enrollment at Tech, you'd be shocked. I would, but I can't remember the number. It is appalling.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

If I told you the number of Louisiana highschool graduates that qualify (due to our admission standards) for enrollment at Tech, you'd be shocked. I would, but I can't remember the number. It is appalling.

Which is just one of the many reasons Dr G is reaching out to the DFW area, the state of Texas in general as well as others.

[SportTechFan]

If I told you the number of Louisiana highschool graduates that qualify (due to our admission standards) for enrollment at Tech, you'd be shocked. I would, but I can't remember the number. It is appalling.

Dr. LKG says 5,000 to be sought bt Tech, LSU and ULL.

STF