HOUSTON (Sept. 17, 2012) –  The Lone Star College System has hit another milestone with an enrollment of nearly 78,000 credit students this fall. The official day number for credit students was 77,877, a 3 percent increase over fall 2011 and the largest student body in the history of the college system.

“The trend for community colleges throughout the state and nation points in the opposite direction -- declining student enrollment,” said Dr. Richard Carpenter, chancellor of the Lone Star College System. “Our increase says a lot about the character and reputation of LSCS and the confidence that our students and our community have in this great institution.”

Earlier this summer, LSCS was named the fourth largest producer of associate degrees among the 1,132 community colleges in the nation, and the fastest-growing community college system in the country.

According to the 2012 list of Top 100 Associate Degree Producers published annually by Community College Week magazine, LSCS was listed fourth in the nation for the number of associate degrees it awarded.

LSCS was also recognized as the fastest-growing community college system in the U.S. in a separate ranking published by Community College Week. Using data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the magazine listed LSCS with a 17 percent growth to its enrollment from fall 2009 to fall 2010, which represented 11,854 additional students.

“It is an honor to be nationally recognized for the completion work we are doing here in Houston to give our students clear pathways for achieving their goals,” said Carpenter. “Our number one goal is student success and credential completion.”

During the fall 2009 to fall 2010 period – which was the latest data available to the magazine from the coordinating board – community college enrollment in Texas climbed by more than 6 percent, with 46,000 additional students. Currently, there are more than 750,000 students enrolled in Texas community colleges compared to 690,000 enrolled in four-year schools.

LSCS awarded 3,342 associate degrees to students in all disciplines for the 2010-2011 school year, making it the fourth largest producer in the nation among community colleges. This represents a 9 percent increase over degrees awarded in 2009-2010 by LSCS.

Currently, part-time and transfer students are not counted with those receiving an associate degree although they may have completed the required number of credits needed.

LSCS is ranked second nationwide in the Top 50 Associate Degrees category of Nursing with 392 associate degrees awarded. LSCS was also ranked fourth in the category of Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences with 624 associate degrees awarded last year as well.  This is a subsequent disciplinary "sub-lists" as part of the Top 100 Associate Degree 2012 analysis.

LSCS was also ranked 10^th for community colleges in the 2012 nationwide list for the number of its Hispanic students receiving their associate degrees.

As part of its overall credential completion agenda, LSCS is a partner in the local My Degree Counts public outreach campaign that has a goal of increasing the credential rate in the greater Houston area by 1 percent – which can boost the Houston regional economy and increase personal income by $4.2 billion annually.

The Top 100 Associate Degree Producers list is compiled by the magazine each year from data collected through the National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Set survey.

Community College Week, one of several national publications covering the education industry, publishes the rankings each June.

With 78,000 students in credit classes, and a total enrollment of more than 90,000, Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and the fastest-growing community college system in the nation. Dr. Richard Carpenter is the chancellor of LSCS, which consists of six colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, LSC-Tomball and LSC-University Park, five centers, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.

                                       
Lone Star College System Rankings on the Top 100 Associate Degree List 2012

* Community College ranking based on fall 2010-fall 2011.

Lone Star College System Rankings on the Top 50 Associate Degree List 2012

* Community College ranking based on fall 2010-fall 2011.

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