News release Public Information Office  SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Spring 2004 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 2/16/04   SOUTHEASTERN SPRING 2004 ENROLLMENT REFLECTS IMPROVING STUDENTS        HAMMOND -- Southeastern Louisiana University’s spring 2004 enrollment profile indicates that the university is meeting its goal of attracting students who are better prepared to succeed in college, university officials said.       The average American College Test composite score for beginning freshmen in spring 2004 is 19.2, up from 19 a year ago and 18.6 in spring 2002. Also, fewer students need transitional (developmental) courses, resulting in an 11 percent decrease in the number of courses offered when compared to enrollment statistics a year ago.         The university’s spring 2004 enrollment profile shows no significant change in the total enrollment compared to last spring’s headcount. A total of 14,761 students are attending classes, whereas spring 2003's enrollment was 14,799 students.       Southeastern President Randy Moffett said that the university’s higher admission standards, as well as academic enhancements such as new honors programs in every major and opportunities for undergraduate research, are helping Southeastern attract better prepared students.       “We are pleased with the improving quality and college preparedness of our incoming freshman,” Moffett said. “That is the goal we set to achieve when admission standards were implemented three and a half years ago.”       Recently, Southeastern announced that, beginning this summer, the university will implement part of the new admission standards that will be mandated statewide by the Louisiana Board of Regents in 2005.       Currently, beginning freshmen must meet one of three requirements: an ACT composite of at least 20, ranking in the upper 50 percent of their high school graduating class or at least a 2.0 high school grade point average on 17.5 units of core courses.        This summer, a new requirement will be added concerning developmental courses. Students who need more than one developmental course will have to meet that requirement before being fully admitted to Southeastern. High school graduating seniors impacted by the proposed admission changes have a number of options for meeting the new developmental requirement.        Students can enroll in “Summer Bridge,” a Southeastern program that allows students to take freshmen or transitional courses in mathematics and English while receiving  extra support through tutoring and workshops.        They can also cross-enroll in a community college to take one or more of their needed remedial courses while simultaneously taking Southeastern courses, or they can enroll in a community college and transfer to Southeastern after successfully completing developmental work.       Broken down by classification, spring 2004 enrollment includes 4,127 freshmen, 2,827 sophomores, 2,322 juniors, 3,378 seniors, and 2,107 graduate students. Tangipahoa continues to be Southeastern’s top feeder parish, with a total of 3,385 students from the parish. The other top parishes sending students to Southeastern include St. Tammany, 3,150; East Baton Rouge, 1,996; Livingston, 1,754; Jefferson, 787; Ascension 628, and Washington, 592.        Ascension Parish shows the largest gain, a 10 percent increase over spring 2003. The number of students from Jefferson Parish is up 4.8 percent, while the St. Tammany Parish and Livingston Parish headcount also rose slightly.