Fall 2025 Enrollment Reaches Highest Level in Many Years

Published on September 16, 2025

Lake Land College enrollment for the Fall 2025 semester has reached its highest level in many years, according to the College’s official 10^th Day Enrollment Report presented to the board of trustees during the regular September meeting. The report also details substantial growth in several key strategic programs such as Career and Technical Education (CTE) and high school dual credit.

According to the report, a total of 4,138 students are attending Lake Land for the Fall 2025 semester, an increase of 4.5% compared to the previous year. The number also represents the highest student headcount at the College since Fall 2019.

The report also reveals a substantial increase in Full Time Equivalency (FTE), which is calculated by dividing the total number of enrolled credit hours by the conventional full-time load of 15 credit hours. FTE at Lake Land College is 2,565.9 for the Fall 2025 semester, a 7.3% increase over the previous year and the highest FTE figure for the College since Fall 2020.

“We’re thrilled to see such incredible growth in our enrollment and are honored to be the college destination of choice for so many students as they begin this new chapter in their lives,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said. “We welcome these students with great anticipation, knowing here at Lake Land College, they are equipped for bright futures as they shape their lives, advance in their careers and transform their communities through the power of education.”

In a time when many institutions nationwide face declining enrollment figures and student population, Lake Land College has worked proactively to rethink education to meet students where they are and serve the region’s diverse academic needs. This year, the College unveiled a new strategic plan, “Education that Fits Your Life,” which prioritizes reducing barriers to education and making learning accessible. This initiative places an emphasis on flexible class options, streamlined enrollment processes, comprehensive support services and student-centric course scheduling that enables students to fit education within their active work and personal lives.

“As we celebrate our impressive enrollment for the new semester, we are also reminded of the vital responsibility we carry as the college of our community,” Bullock added. “The numbers shown in the enrollment report are not just data; they represent 4,000 unique individuals, each with a distinct background, academic needs and aspirations for the future. Our increase in enrollment this semester is powerful evidence that we are meeting our students’ diverse needs and preparing them for successful futures. As we move forward with our new strategic plan, we must continue to prioritize this mission as we develop innovative ways to serve our communities.”

Among all students enrolled for Fall 2025, 1,799 are full-time and 2,339 are part-time, revealing a strong local demand for short-term certificates, training programs and career advancement opportunities. Enrollment in the College’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, which leverage business partnerships to offer direct, hands-on career training in high-demand fields, saw an increase of 5.3% in FTE for the Fall 2025 semester.

Among all individual programs, business saw the highest enrollment numbers for the Fall 2025 semester, with Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) and ADN Track programs closely following. Agriculture Transfer and Agriculture Business & Supply are also both among the top programs in enrollment, reinforcing Lake Land’s excellent reputation as one of the top agriculture schools in the nation. John Deere Tech also ranks among the highest individual programs for Fall 2025 enrollment, with Lake Land serving as one of just 19 locations in the United States to offer the program.

Lake Land also continues to be a home for students of all ages and backgrounds. The average student age for the Fall 2025 semester is 21.5 years old, with 843 students enrolled above the age of 23.

Enrollment has also soared for high school Laker Connect Dual Credit, with 1,364 students enrolled in dual credit courses through their high schools. This figure represents a 17.1% growth in the number of dual credit students enrolled and a 40.6% increase in FTE.

The increase in dual credit enrollment comes following Lake Land’s creation of Laker Connect, a revamped approach to dual credit that increases access to college course work for high school students and creates a seamless educational experience between high school and college. Laker Connect has created new and enhanced partnerships between Lake Land and the 31 high schools throughout its district. As a part of these partnerships, a dedicated dual credit counselor visits high schools in-person to meet with students, guide them through the dual credit process and ensure they are prepared to begin college with a head start toward their careers.

For students graduating from high school, Lake Land College remains the number one destination for continuing education. In a time when approximately 50% of all high school graduates throughout the region are choosing to forgo higher education altogether, Lake Land has maintained high enrollment rates among the graduating students from many high schools in its region. The College’s 10^th Day Enrollment numbers reveal a Lake Land College enrollment rate of at least 35% in 10 in-district high schools: Altamont High School (37%), Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond High School (40%), Beecher City High School (38.1%), Dieterich High School (43.6%), Effingham High School (36.2%), Mattoon High School (35.4%), Neoga High School (47.8%), North Clay High School (35%), Stewardson Strasburg High School (37.5%) and Sullivan High School (41%).

The positive momentum in Lake Land’s enrollment report is also a testament to the College’s efforts to expand academic opportunities throughout the region. In July, Lake Land officially opened its new Effingham Technology Center, a 100,000-square-foot facility equipped with state-of-the-art classrooms, labs and hands-on learning equipment. The building expands Lake Land’s physical presence in the Effingham community, providing local options for students to enroll in a wide variety of general education courses or complete full degree and certificate allied health programs.

A total of 321 students are enrolled in classes at the Effingham Technology Center for Fall 2025, the building’s first semester of operation, with 64 students taking classes there exclusively. The total number of students from Effingham County who are enrolled at Lake Land College also reached its highest level in several years with a 7.2% increase, reaching 984 students according to the College’s 10^th Day Report.

“As we have worked to create new opportunities through programs like Laker Connect and expand our reach throughout the region with the Effingham Technology Center, we are proud to see an overwhelmingly positive impact begin to take shape for our college, as evident in our latest enrollment report,” Bullock said. “I am truly thankful to everyone campus-wide who has contributed to this remarkable achievement by living out our vision and values every day in service to our students and communities.”

The 10^th-day enrollment report is a standard report among the higher education community that captures opening enrollment data each semester.