My two cents as a Lamar student: I could have basically had my choice of Universities in Texas to attend (maybe not Rice) and I chose Lamar about three years ago because of a scholarship program they started offering to attract students who would normally go to bigger name schools. I have kept up with the students who have been offered the same deal over the past couple years, and probably 80% are from SE Texas. When you are sitting at awards day as an underclassmen at highschool I think it really does make a difference if some of the top grads are going to Lamar. I think it makes some students who could easily get into to bigger name schools not feel like they are compromising to go to Lamar, and if it makes economic sense then its a win win.
