The Fall 2016 freshman class at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, which has a record number of high school valedictorians, is the most academically prepared incoming class in school history. It’s 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 University’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 year’s 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 students.”
He noted that UL Lafayette’s Enrollment Management staff worked hard to ensure that freshmen could enroll this fall, despite challenges posed by recent historic flooding in South Louisiana and changes in the state’s TOPS scholarship program.
“We postponed tuition payment deadlines, provided payment plan options for students, 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 students,” he said.