When college-bound Class of 2025 graduates in Southwest Michigan made their choice of where to continue their education last fall, more selected Lake Michigan College than any other college or university.
Information released by MI School Data in its annual College Enrollment Destination Report shows that 274 graduates from public high schools in the LMC district enrolled at LMC within six months of graduation. That is more than the next four institutions combined. The LMC district includes all of Berrien County, Covert Township, and the South Haven Public Schools district.
When looking beyond LMC’s immediate district to its broader four-county service area, which adds the other portions of Van Buren County along with Cass and Allegan counties, LMC enrolled 335 Class of 2025 graduates, again ranking first among all colleges and universities.
“This doesn’t happen by accident,” said Eric Wignall, LMC Director of Admissions and Recruitment. “If there’s a running theme through everything we do, it’s that we show up. We are in the schools. We are at community events. And we live in the communities we serve. Students know we are here for them and that they can count on us.”
The College’s presence in area high schools goes beyond recruitment visits. Each year, LMC serves more than 1,000 high school students through the Early College program, giving students a running start on college by earning credits before graduation, at no cost. The Early College experience leads many to continue at LMC after graduation to earn additional transfer credits or finish the associate degree they already have started.
Affordability is a significant part of the equation. LMC participates in the Michigan Community College Guarantee, a state-funded program that covers 100 percent of in-district tuition and fees, after Pell Grants and other financial aid, for Michigan high school graduates who enroll full-time within 15 months of graduation. For families in Southwest Michigan, it represents a path to higher education with little or no out-of-pocket cost.
Wignall notes that free tuition may open the conversation with students and families, but there’s more to why LMC is the right choice for so many. Program options, flexibility, and more educational support than students may find at larger universities create an environment where students can succeed.
“While the financial incentives are real, students choose us because we are an on-ramp to anything else they want in life – whether that’s earning a four-year degree, getting into a career in two years or less, or building skills that help them start in the workforce right away. And, if they aren’t sure what their path is yet, we can help them figure that out,” Wignall said.
New graduates directly out of high school are one segment of a larger overall enrollment picture. Last year, the College served 4,169 students who included, alongside the new high school graduates, continuing students, Early College participants, and adult learners. Approximately two-thirds of LMC students attend part time while they work and manage life’s responsibilities.
For more information about the programs and services Lake Michigan College offers, visitwww.lakemichigancollege.edu.
