Cleveland, TN–Lee University reached another record enrollment in the fall semester with 4,262 students, an increase of three percent over last year’s all-time high.
The registration total was announced by Gary Ray, vice president at Lee, who said that the number includes 832 entering freshmen, the second-highest ever for Lee. “This is the first time in our history we have had back-to-back freshman classes of over eight hundred students,” he said, while announcing that 259 transfer students also enrolled for the fall semester.
Ray said the two consecutive large freshman classes have produced dormitory occupancy which is “over 100 percent” for the second year in a row. “Basically, that means that every dorm bed on campus is occupied, and we have created temporary housing for the overflow in rented apartment units near our campus.”
Another closely watched enrollment indicator, the freshman-to-sophomore return rate, was also up this year, topping 73 percent for the first time. “For us to achieve this rate of retention in today’s tough economic environment is a terrific accomplishment for our entire faculty and staff,” Ray said.
“Not only is this an unusually large freshman class, but it is our best-prepared academically,” Ray said. The average ACT score of incoming freshman increased significantly, and the number of Centennial Scholars (high school seniors scoring in the 99th percentile of college board exams) rose to 63, a dramatic increase over the previous record.
Lee’s student body includes students from all fifty states and 53 foreign countries. Over 200 international students enrolled this fall. Nigeria continues to lead the list of international students; Nepal and the Bahamas are the next most heavily represented.
Lee University is the largest private institution in East Tennessee, and trails only Vanderbilt and Belmont statewide. Its rapid enrollment growth began in the 1980’s, and this fall semester marks the 22nd consecutive year of increased enrollment which sets a new record.
(Source: Lee University Public Information)