The number of Louisiana students entering college has risen, according to new data from the State Department of Education.
More than 22,000 public school students across the state enrolled in two- and four-year colleges last fall. That's an all-time high, and an increase of six percent from the year before.
Looking at New Orleans alone, the increase in college-bound students was even higher — a 15 percent jump from the previous year.
Arnel Cosey is Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs at Delgado Community College, one of the most popular choices among local graduates. She's excited to serve more students.
"Where you bring more students into the higher ed, the classrooms, there's a cost factor involved with that," she says. "So I think as more students come into higher it's just a part of the conversation. The rest of it is how do we continue to support them so that we can deliver quality education to them."
She hopes the new data might sway legislators later this spring, as they vote on proposed budget cuts to higher education.
Support for education reporting on WWNO comes from Baptist Community Ministries and Entergy Corporation.
