By Jeremy Walsh
Enrollment figures are spiking at two of the borough’s community colleges, and officials are chalking it up to the economic downturn.
LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City is seeing a 25 percent increase in spring enrollment over 2008 numbers with 4,509 students, compared to last year’s total of 3,602 as of Feb. 13.
Bayside’s Queensborough Community College had an enrollment increase of 10.4 percent, going from 13,134 in 2008 to 14,502 this year.
“The economy is definitely driving these numbers,” said Dr. Peter Jordan, vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Development. “Students are looking to LaGuardia because of its affordable tuition and its wide range of degree programs that prepare them for this competitive job market.”
Officials at Queensborough agreed.
“The economy is hurting and people are coming back to school,” said Queensborough President Eduardo Marti, noting the admissions office had to end enrollment Jan. 12 because of the demand. “I just looked at very preliminary figures for next fall, and … of the city’s community colleges, we have the largest number of students choosing us as the first choice.”
Marti said the college will likely close fall enrollment earlier than usual and urged first−time applicants to turn in their paperwork early.
In a statistical analysis, LaGuardia found that the number of people applying to the community college straight out of high school had increased 59 percent, while the number of students 22 and older applying increased by 34 percent.
Marti said Queensborough has not done the calculations, “but I’m certain we’ve had an increase in the average age of our student body.”
Enrollment in the entire City University of New York system — which includes both community colleges — has been on the rise since before last fall’s economic collapse.
CUNY’s fall 2008 enrollment was 244,253, up 4.8 percent from fall 2007, when 232,960 students matriculated. It was the ninth consecutive year of enrollment gains and the largest number of students at any time since the mid−1970s.
Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 154.
