HOUSTON (Feb. 7, 2013) –The Lone Star College System has hit another milestone with an enrollment of nearly 75,000 credit students this spring. The official day number for credit students was 74,946, a 1 percent increase over spring 2012.

“While this was not the 7 to 11 percent jump we have seen for the past several years, Lone Star College enrollments continue to increase,” said Dr. Richard Carpenter, LSCS chancellor. “The trend for community colleges throughout the state and nation points in the opposite direction – declining student enrollment. Our increase says a lot about the quality and reputation of LSCS and the confidence that our students and our community have in this great institution.”

In a recently-conducted market research study, community awareness of Lone Star College System was extremely high with nearly 90 percent of residents in the Houston region having top of mind awareness of LSCS. The study also revealed that almost all the residents polled – 96 percent – said that they felt LSCS was valuable to their community.

More than 75 percent of those polled agreed that without community colleges like LSCS, first responders like EMTs and firefighters would be in short supply and would not have the opportunity to receive the education needed for their current jobs.

Other results from the research study indicate that three of four residents polled agreed that funding higher education was a good investment, particularly for the LSCS community. The data reveals that for every dollar invested in LSCS, taxpayers saw a cumulative added value of $2.30. The investment is strengthened through sound fiscal management by LSCS, one of the few colleges in the country that is able to maintain an AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s.

The college system also adds $1.1 billion to the regional economy each year through increased earnings for students and improved workforce productivity for area employers.

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.