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Edison’s Enrollment
Continues to Rise
Edison Community College will be welcoming more students back to fall
classes than it has in a number of years. Fall enrollment is up in both
credit hours and headcount compared to the same time last year, with
the first set of fall classes beginning on August 24.
“The closer we get to the start of the semester, the more confidence we
can have in the numbers,” said Scott Burnam, Vice President of Student
Affairs. “Right now, we are up almost six percent in credit hours,
which drives our funding, over same day last year, driven by an overall
increase in headcount of eleven percent.”
Compared to the same day last year, new student enrollment at Edison,
the most imminent indicator of longer-term enrollment growth, is up
more than fifty percent. It stems from new student enrollment increases
of eight percent in undergraduate students and a staggering fifty-two
percent in College Credit Plus (CC+), Ohio’s dual enrollment program
for students in grades seven through twelve.
“Edison has enjoyed success in dual enrollment for years, typically
placing in the top three community colleges in the state for percentage
of enrollment attributed to the program,” added Burnam. “Because of
that, we were ready to respond to the increased demand that CC+
generated in ways that other colleges were not prepared to do.”
“We are excited to work so closely with more than thirty high school
partners to ensure the accessibility of the program to students and
families. The number of high school students who are demonstrating
college readiness is a real testament to the quality of the high
schools we have in our service area.”
“As of today, we have more than a thousand students participating in
CC+ with Edison. Last year at this time, we had five-hundred and
seventy four students participating.”
The growth isn’t limited to just the College’s campus in Piqua. The
Darke County Campus (DCC) in Greenville also plays an integral role in
the College’s enrollment gains. Compared to this same time last year,
participation in CC+ at the DCC is up ninety percent in headcount
participation and fifty-five percent in credit hours registered. At
Greenville High School alone, participation grew from just forty-nine
students last fall to one-hundred thirty-six students this year.
The legislation that governs CC+ is clearly realizing three of its core
intentions. Growth in the program is driven by the state’s requirements
that all public high schools and colleges participate, and that
students and families in public high schools who participate with
public colleges won’t be charged for tuition or books, removing a
significant cost barrier for many students and families. Students also
have a choice in where they pursue their enrollments in the program,
and can no longer be limited to just one college or university when
looking to enroll.
Burnam cautions that these numbers are not yet final but he remains
optimistic. “We still have another significant entry point for fall
semester in mid-October, for which we are still adding courses to
accommodate increased demand for undergraduate enrollments. That’s a
wonderful problem to have in late August, and our team at both campuses
looks forward to maintaining momentum moving forward.”
“None of this work happens magically. A large number of dedicated
people at both campuses across numerous functional areas have worked
exceedingly hard to attract and enroll these students. And once these
students are enrolled, we remain equally focused on helping them
succeed.”
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