LSU is one of only 25 universities nationwide designated as both a land-grand and sea-grant university.

Research awards at LSU increased 22% during 2002-2003.

The average ACT score for the 2002-2003 freshman class was 24.4. The national average was 21 and the state average was 19.6.

LSU’s six-year graduation rate grew from 50% in 1998 to 58% in 2002.

In 2003, Allen Richey was named LSU’s first-ever Harry S. Truman Scholar. In 2002, Ebony Spikes was named LSU’s fourth Marshall Scholar. LSU has also had 14 Rhodes Scholars.

LSU needs approximately 150 additional professors to compete with the nation’s premier research universities.

LSU’s Cultural Geography program was ranked, along with the program at the University of Texas at Austin, as number one in the country.

LSU’s Center for Internal Auditing has produced 14 of the top scorers on the Institute for Internal Auditors’ Certified Internal Auditor exam for the last 17 years.

SuperMike, LSU’s supercomputer, based in the Center for Applied Information Technology & Learning, has been timed one of the fastest computers in all of academia.

The LSU Museum of Natural Science has the foremost graduate program in museum-based ornithology in the world.

LSU’s endowment is $209 million. Ole Miss’ endowment is $346 million. Texas A&M’s is $3.4 billion.