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Orange County Community Colleges See 11.3% Enrollment Surge

Nine local community colleges reported total enrollment increased 11.3% to 144,079 students as of late September – marking a significant jump compared to the head count rise last year, according to this week’s Business Journal list.

Last year, during the same year-over-year period, total enrollment rose 5.6%. That increase represented a reversal in falling enrollment following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, where Orange County’s two-year colleges saw a 1.5% decline in 2022 and a 10% decline in 2021.

Of the nine community colleges surveyed this year, eight reported total enrollment increases with Irvine Valley College, logging a record-breaking 34% increase to 15,813 students, up from 11,791 in September 2023. The increase was partially tied to a 12% spike in full-time students at the school, which has seen more students enroll in a post-pandemic environment. IVC notes that its head count includes non-credit students or those taking classes where the unit fees are waived.

“IVC’s record-breaking enrollment reflects the college’s efforts in reengaging students post-pandemic, providing flexible instructional options that include in-person, online, and hybrid modalities, and growing programs like the IVC Promise (two years of free tuition), Adult English as a Second Language (AESL) and international student enrollment,” IVC President John Hernandez, told the Business Journal in a statement.

Other colleges seeing total enrollment increases include Fullerton College, up 5.8%, Golden West College, up 7.6%, Orange Coast College, up 3.1%, Coastline College, up 23%, Cypress College, up 12%, Santa Ana College, up 10%, and Saddleback College, up 12%.

Students Continue to Seek Flexibility

The only school to report a decline in total enrollment was Santiago Canyon College (SCC) in Orange. The college, part of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, saw a 1.5% drop in total enrollment. The decline was driven by a dip in part-time students, whose numbers decreased by 3.7% this year.

Still, SCC did see a 2% increase in full-time enrollment to 3,320 students.

Aaron Voelcker, dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Library & Learning Support Services, noted that student headcount grew nearly 20% between the 2020-2021 and the 2023-2024 academic years.

“The areas of study that are experiencing the highest growth in enrollment are healthcare and vocational medicine, public works and the older adult program,” Voelcker told the Business Journal.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, where students were forced to take classes online for months, Voelcker said students are now seeking more flexible coursework options.

“Post-pandemic, online and hybrid courses have gained popularity, reflecting sustained student demand for flexibility,” Voelcker said. “This shift has attracted non-traditional students who might not have otherwise enrolled, although we note that some student populations, particularly those who benefit from structured environments, continue to thrive in face-to-face classes.”

SCC is boosting retention by forming success teams of counselors, teachers and staff to give students personalized guidance and to step in early when needed.

Over at Santa Ana College, which saw a 7.8% increase in full-time enrollment, course flexibility is also pushing growth.

“We attribute our enrollment increase to adult learning opportunities and flexible learning,” spokesperson Young Kim said. “Students have the option of learning on-campus or online. They can also take classes with a more flexible schedule.”

Surpassing Pre-Pandemic Enrollment

Saddleback spokesperson Jennie McCue told the Business Journal this year’s 12% total enrollment growth, which includes non-credit students, follows a 10% spike last year.

“We’ve seen an increase in new student enrollment, but our enrollment growth is also attributed to an increase in student retention and completion,” McCue said. “More students earned degrees this past year than ever in our history. We have also made the college more accessible to English Language Learners and other non-traditional-age college students, in part by introducing a number of free programs that lead to good jobs in just a semester.”

The college has also surpassed its pre-pandemic head count.

“We are seeing an increase in enrollment among our adult education population, and that more non-traditional students are returning to college to upskill,” she said.

Part-time enrollment is up 12% at Saddleback, which coincides with the school’s launch of the Part-time Promise program. Eligible students are granted free tuition and other fees for up to three years.

Many students enrolled in the program are non-traditional students, generally over 25 years of age, or single parents, who are seeking a certificate and/or job training, McCue said.

“We believe it is the first of its kind,” McCue said of the program.

Marc Posner, Cypress College’s director of campus communications, said the college’s free two-year tuition program for eligible first-time college students has also contributed to the college’s 8% increase in full-time enrollment.

Cypress currently has about 1,800 full-time students in the state-funded California Community Colleges Promise Grant, which Cypress calls the Charger Experience Program.

The program is gaining momentum each year. Two years ago, Cypress had 1,000 enrolled, so the uptick this year is “significant,” he said.

“We’ve had good support from our local communities and from the state, all those things, I believe are factors in being able to restore enrollment,” Posner told the Business Journal.

At this rate of enrollment, Posner said he anticipates Cypress “we will reach our pre-pandemic enrollment” of more than 16,000 students this academic year, he said.

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