Lake Michigan College ranks as No. 1 college destination for Southwest Michigan high school graduates
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’s 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.
