The number of students choosing Lewis-Clark State College directly out of high school continues to increase.
Though overall headcount is down, college officials are excited to see a 4.7 percent increase this fall in students coming directly from high school on the heels of a 13 percent increase in 2016 and a 5 percent uptick the year prior. After three straight years of overall enrollment growth, including an 8 percent increase last fall, LCSC’s total headcount is down 4.5 percent this fall, standing at 3,746.
The dip matches a national trend as improved economic conditions and job openings are driving more would-be transfer and four-year degree-seeking students into the workplace. This is especially true for students in the Coeur d’Alene area where many who received an associate’s degree in the spring, have simply decided to put their schooling on hold to pursue newly found employment opportunities.
Along with its continued upswing in freshmen, LCSC also saw a large increase of 17 percent in its Hispanic enrollment, due in large part to the reestablishment of the College Assistance Migrant Program, a federally funded program which helps students from qualifying migrant/seasonal farm work backgrounds to enter and succeed in college. With that increase, LCSC’s minority headcount is up 7.8 percent overall.
The school’s pre-college numbers are also on the rise as the number of high school students taking dual credit through LCSC has grown 7 percent. (LCSC)
