If anyone thought the increase in tuition this fall would negatively affect the amount of applications Loyola received from prospective students, guess again.
It had no impact on enrollment numbers.
With over 4,811 undergraduate applications and 800 first-year deposits as of Monday, June 15, Loyola University is expecting the number of incoming freshmen to exceed the amount of first-year students it has welcomed in nearly five years.
Prior to Katrina, the admissions offices projected anywhere from 850 freshmen, 100 transfers, and 50 readmits each year but Loyola has experienced a sharp decline over the past years.
The first class following Katrina year in 2006 welcomed only 525 freshmen while the 2007 class totaled 503.
Since then, Loyola’s enrollment numbers have improved bringing in 695 members for its centennial class and over 800 students this upcoming fall semester.
So why are enrollment numbers increasing so dramatically after the decline by as much as 33 percent following Hurricane Katrina?
Sal Liberto, Loyola’s vice president for enrollment management, believes the reason the school has begun to see a glimpse of the students it once attracted is because Loyola is taking the necessary measures to entice prospective students.
“We have increased our marketing and I think we are telling a better story of why it’s important for students to come here to Loyola,” he said. “The city’s recovery really helps us as well so as the city continues to recover so well, the perception is that Loyola is a great place to be.”
Between June and the beginning of August the numbers are likely to fluctuate; however, Loyola could receive more applications within the next couple of months due to the rolling admissions policy.
According to Liberto, the applications and deposits the admissions office has received so far indicate possibly the largest freshman class since 2005 with over 900 first-year students.
The admissions office reported over a 15 percent increase in first-year students compared to last year’s class total of 695 freshmen. Our incoming class this year is strong,” said Liberto in a press release.
“We have record applications and students are enrolling at high rates despite the economic downturn. Also, we are engaging an ever-widening audience of students, parents, college counselors and teachers to tell the story of this university. Students are excited about Loyola University of New Orleans.”
Liberto believes more students are applying to Loyola because the school offers students much more than a basic education they can receive anywhere else in Louisiana. Loyola is unique in that aspect which appeals to prospective students and their families.
“The Catholic Jesuit values, the fact that they are getting an education that isn’t just for a career, isn’t just for a particular set of skills, but for an education in thinking and communicating is what attracts people to Loyola and sets us apart from other schools,” Liberto said.
“So these Catholic Jesuit values are a tremendous addition to a basic liberal arts education. It’s not just a basic education anymore; it’s an extraordinary education now.”
Despite the increase in tuition beginning in the fall, Loyola has received the most applications they have ever received in one year breaking its previous total of 4400 by well over 400.
“The financial aid still remains very generous here. We are the number one value according to the U.S. News and World Report in the South so even though our tuition increased 5.9%, we are still offering financial aid at a percentage and rate much higher than other private universities in the South,” he said.
Other factors contributing to the increase of enrollment is the amount of campus visits the school held this past year.
Loyola hosted more than 1,750 campus visits, a 30 percent increase over last year’s total of 1,355. Touring the school gives prospective students and their families the chance to experience what the university has to offer them first-hand rather than relying on the school’s website to depict what campus life may be.
“The Jesuit education, the rigorous academics program along with small classes and purposeful relationships with professors are rare in Louisiana so that’s why Loyola really stands out to students who are making the decision on which college down here to choose,” said Liberto.
Craig Malveaux can be reached at [email protected]