Positive enrollment trends support access to higher education
Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) kicked off the new academic year with a new enrollment record for Fall 2024 – 6,057 students in degree-seeking programs.
Across all programs, including youth, non-credit, and workforce credential programs, the College expects to cross 9,000 total students served for the first time in the 2024 – 2025 academic year. The College plans to serve over 10,000 students by 2026.
According to the National Student Clearinghouse, enrollment at community colleges is surging across the country as students look to maximize the return on their investment in higher education. At Lake-Sumter State College, this fall’s numbers represent a 15.9% growth from one year ago.
“The College is committed to increasing access to higher education across Lake and Sumter Counties as one of our strategic priorities,” said Dr. Joseph Mews, Vice President of Enrollment & Student Affairs. “We are proud of our historic enrollment growth toward this goal. We are seeing growth across all student types and credentials, while also decreasing their out-of-pocket expenses through financial aid and scholarship opportunities.”
Highlights for Fall 2024:
- 6,057: Total students enrolled, an increase of 833 students from last year’s record
- 1,108: Record number of students classified as first-time-in-college
- 364: Highest number of students enrolled in bachelor’s programs
- 91%: Percentage of students that reside in Lake or Sumter County
- 69%: Students who are 21 and under
- 27.7%: Record Hispanic student population
- Double-digit enrollment growth in all areas served – North Lake, South Lake, North Sumter, and South Sumter
- Seated course enrollment is growing in Leesburg and South Lake by over 20% compared to last fall
- Fastest growing age demographics are 15-18 and 25-34 age groups
“We are proud that so many students and families in Lake and Sumter Counties are seeing the value of an education from Lake-Sumter State College,” said Dr. Mews. “These record-breaking numbers reflect the commitment of our dedicated faculty and staff to the success of our students, through rising retention rates and increased student and academic support initiatives.”
Although online courses continue to be a popular choice for students, on-campus courses are seeing a resurgence in popularity. Compared to last fall, the Leesburg Campus saw an increase of 22.5% in on-campus course enrollments and the South Lake Campus saw a 24.1% increase.
“We continue to focus on offering math and science courses with on-campus options as our data shows that students in this course type typically perform better when they can interact face-to-face with their professor and peers,” shared Karen Hogans, Vice President of Academic Affairs. “We are also excited to see more students in all course types come to campus more often to visit the Academic Success Centers to meet with their instructors or peer tutors for support outside of the classroom.”
After being designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution for the first time last year, this year’s student population identifying as Hispanic means that LSSC will continue to be designated as an HSI by Excelencia in Higher Education.
Students can still enroll this fall with 7-week classes starting on October 14 or for Spring 2025 with classes starting on January 13. Visit enroll.lssc.edu to learn more.
About Lake-Sumter State College
Founded in 1962, Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) offers a high-quality education at an affordable price to the communities of Lake and Sumter counties. LSSC embraces its mission as a community college to increase access and opportunity for all learners in its community. As a proud member of the Florida College System, LSSC serves more than 8,600 students annually at four locations and online: Leesburg, Four Corners, South Lake (Clermont), and Sumterville. LSSC offers non-credit, certificate, associate degree, and bachelor’s degree programs designed to support and prepare students to pursue their goals and join Florida’s dynamic workforce. LSSC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Learn more about LSSC at www.lssc.edu.
