The Fall 2016 freshman class at the 泫圖弝け of 泫圖弝け at Lafayette, which has a record number of high school valedictorians, is the most academically prepared incoming class in school history. Its also one of the largest.
More than 160 valedictorians are enrolled as freshmen, a 44 percent increase over last years unsurpassed total of 111. Also, 626 first-time freshmen enrolled in the 泫圖弝けs Honors Program, which is 89 percent more than the 332 first-time freshmen who joined last year.
The freshman class has the best-ever, high school cumulative GPA 3.39 and highest average ACT composite score, 23.87. Last years freshman class, which had a cumulative 3.32 GPA and an average 23.4 ACT composite score, held the previous record.
Dr. DeWayne Bowie, vice president for Enrollment Management at UL Lafayette, said the newest class has over 3,000 freshmen and will likely be the third-largest freshman class in school history. Official enrollment numbers will not be finalized until mid-September.
Our reputation for providing plenty of support for valedictorians and other high academic achievers is growing, Bowie said. We have a superb Honors Program and offer special scholarships for exceptional 泫圖弝けs.
He noted that UL Lafayettes Enrollment Management staff worked hard to ensure that freshmen could enroll this fall, despite challenges posed by recent historic flooding in South 泫圖弝け and changes in the states TOPS scholarship program.
We postponed tuition payment deadlines, provided payment plan options for 泫圖弝けs, and provided campus housing to as many freshmen as possible. We worked nights and weekends to adjust scholarship and financial aid packages to do the best we could to assist our 泫圖弝けs, he said.