NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

9/14/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -Northwestern State University's enrollment for the fall 2006 semester is 9,431 students, according to Registrar Lillie Frazier Bell. The figure was a decline of 266 students (2.8 percent) from last fall's pre-hurricane figure of 9,697. Enrollment for the fall 2005 semester including displaced students was 9,847.

NSU officials said the student population was larger than expected this semester in the second year of selective admissions. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita also impacted enrollment this fall because of student displacement and the cancellation of college fairs and other events which are an important part of the recruitment process.

"Even though our overall enrollment decreased, there are a number of positive trends at Northwestern this fall," said NSU President Dr. Randall J. Webb. "I am very pleased with the growth in the graduate program and the significant increase in ACT scores of our incoming freshmen."

Average composite ACT scores of incoming freshmen increased to 20.5. Incoming freshmen had better ACT scores in English, reading, math and science.

This year, the number of entering freshman receiving TOPS was up by 6.8 percent from 556 to 596.

Graduate enrollment was the highest in 21 years, increasing 11.7 percent from 1,061 to 1,183 after Northwestern's Graduate Council enhanced admissions standards for graduate study. Graduate programs in art, student personnel services and English grew substantially. According to Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and Associate Provost Dr. Steven Horton, each of the university's graduate programs had good enrollment figures this fall.

"I am really proud of the work of our graduate faculty who recruited some excellent students," said Horton. "What is especially exciting is that student retention in a majority of our graduate programs exceeded 80 percent last year. That statistic reveals a quality student enrollment and a graduate faculty who are providing instruction that is beneficial and meaningful to student success."

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