Despite COVID-19 creating uncertainty in higher education, some colleges and universities have seen a rise in summer enrollment numbers.
At Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), 200 more students enrolled for the first section of summer courses, a 15% increase from last year. At Colorado Mountain College (CMC), credit headcount increased 32% and credit full-time equivalent hours rose 80% compared to the summer of 2019.
To meet the demands of students, the schools have introduced more course and section options. At CMC, 80 new individual classes are being offered.
“It is a bit surprising because of the predictions that enrollment was going to be dramatically down in the summer and in the fall,” said Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, president of the Association of American College and Universities.
With the rise in unemployment, “people are understanding the need for more education and more preparation for an uncertain future,” she said.
Joel Lee, assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management at WSSU, said that in the past, there has been a correlation between a struggling economy and an increase in higher education enrollment.
“I think nationally, as the economy takes a little bit of a dive here, that’s usually a time when some people decide to go back to school,” he said. “But we don’t know enough yet to know if that’s definitively true for the COVID pandemic. Obviously, it is unprecedented in a lot of ways.”
