LHU Expects Jump in First Year Students

HARRISBURG – The State System of Higher Education on Thursday released figures on first year students expected at each of the 14 state-owned schools and those numbers show Lock Haven University is doing very well relative to the system’s 13 other schools.

Overall, the state system reported, there was a slight drop system-wide for first year students who have paid their deposits. The number is down from 17,583 a year ago to 17,277 currently, a drop of 1.7 percent.

But Lock Haven University is second among all 14 schools in increased enrollments. Cheyney University, which had been on a steep enrollment decline for decades, reports an increase of 51 percent. Lock Haven is second with a 15 percent increase and Kutztown third at 10 percent. The biggest drops are Bloomsburg at 19 percent and Mansfield and East Stroudsburg, each with drops of 11 percent.

A state system spokesman noted the continued drop in the number of high school graduates in Pennsylvania and said the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is a factor in the drop in prospective first year students across the state system.

Lock Haven University has yet to announce specific plans for the fall semester. That word is expected sometime next week.