Significant Increase in Student Applicants to Lakehead University from Barrie, Newmarket, and Orillia

(January 19, 2012 - Thunder Bay, ON) Lakehead University is experiencing a significant increase, compared to last year, in the number of applicants from Ontario high school students in Simcoe County and immediately surrounding areas, with the largest increases from Barrie, Newmarket, and Orillia.

Figures released this week by the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC), indicate that while the province as a whole is showing an increase of 2.4% in student applications this year, Lakehead University has increased by an impressive 12.6%, making it the university with the highest increase of student applications in the province of Ontario.

"Lakehead has experienced a 41% increase in applicants from Barrie, a 39.5% increase from Newmarket, and a 12.9% increase from Orillia," says Dr. Kim Fedderson, Orillia Campus Dean. "A significant portion of the increase can be attributed to the creation of two new majors - Criminology and Media Studies - within the Honours Bachelor of Arts & Science program at the Orillia campus."

"We are also getting a great deal of interest in our Bachelor of Administration program and our Honours Bachelor of Commerce program," he adds.

Lakehead University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brian Stevenson is very pleased by these preliminary figures. "They confirm that the strategies and policies Lakehead University has been pursuing over the past year are working, and that residents of Simcoe County and surrounding areas are beginning to consider Lakehead University as 'their' university," he says.

"Other factors that may be helping to drive this increase are a new Faculty of Law at Lakehead, exciting new programming at both our Orillia and Thunder Bay campuses, and our ongoing commitment to serving the higher education needs of Ontario," says Dr. Rod Hanley, Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

Lakehead University is continuing to accept applications. For more information visit www.mylakehead.ca/ or call 1-800-465-3959.

About Lakehead
Lakehead is a comprehensive university with a reputation for a multidisciplinary teaching approach that emphasizes collaborative learning and independent critical thinking. Over 8,280 students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work at campuses located in Orillia, and Thunder Bay, Ontario, which is home to the west campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Lakehead University promotes innovative research that supports local and regional socio-economic needs. In Orillia, development continues on building a campus that meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.