The 164 seniors of the class of 2024 are set to graduate from La Salle on Saturday, June 1. As they leave, the student body of La Salle is expected to grow with the 185 students of the incoming class of 2028.
“That’s a really great number for La Salle,” said Director of Admissions Ms. Kelsey Hui. “As a school, we’re looking to grow our enrollment in the next few years to about 700 students.”
In her first year at La Salle, Ms. Hui has overseen changes to the admission process and outreach events. For example, the Survivor admissions event has since been replaced with Flock Fest — an open house event for sixth and seventh graders to experience La Salle — and the student ambassador program will be limited to between 140 and 150 members as opposed to the current 180 students as well as the introduction of new leadership roles next year.
Similarly to the scenarios of many current students, the application process began as far back as the fall of eighth grade as ambassadors were dispatched for grade school visits. While La Salle admissions only does direct recruitment visits to Catholic grade schools, in this past year, La Salle has been part of other private and independent schools’ high school info events including a visit to Cedarwood Waldorf School.
As La Salle continues to supplement beyond the typical recruitment pipeline of Catholic grade schools in the area, next year’s freshmen are coming from as many as 58 middle schools and are expected to bring the total of students closer to pre-pandemic levels.
The incoming freshmen class identify as 46% Catholic and roughly 35% identify as Latino or a race other than white, a shift from five years prior which had the freshman class at 68% Catholic, and an increase in overall diversity.
The application process can still be recognized as unchanged for current students. Application material — short essays, questionnaires, transcripts, and recommendations — go through the review process by two primary file readers, Ms. Hui and Vice Principal of Academics Ms. Kathleen Coughran, with the bulk of families receiving their decisions before May.
During the first week of May, the library was closed after school for incoming freshmen to take the required High School Placement Test and evaluate their academic standing for courses next year.
As applications are still being received from families, Ms. Hui says that the growth of La Salle’s student body is not solely the work of the admissions office or ambassadors. Whether it be La Salle branded bumper stickers and hoodies, or simple word of mouth from teachers, faculty, and students, “that’s what really drives admissions,” Ms Hui said.
