Spring 2013 enrollment at BCCC sets record | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Enrollment for the spring 2013 semester at Beaufort County Community College is at record numbers for a spring semester, college officials announced this week.

    Enrollment for the spring 2013 semester is 1,940, 68 more students than in spring 2012 and a record enrollment for the college for a spring semester, according to BCCC President Barbara Tansey.

    The relative cost saving associated with community colleges compared to four-year colleges and universities is among the reasons cited by Dr. Tansey as contributing to the enrollment growth at BCCC.

    The largest group is enrolled in programs of study with the goal of transferring to a four year college or university. Enrollment in Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in General Education programs totals 309 for the spring 2013 semester.

    "The strong enrollment in our college transfer programs proves that more students are taking advantage of the significant cost savings of completing the first two years of their four-year degrees with us before transferring to a four-year college or university," said Dr. Tansey.

    As university and four-year college costs keep rising, Dr. Tansey said that more students seeking bachelor degrees will likely begin their studies at community colleges.

    In addition to growth in college transfer enrollment, BCCC has also seen growth in programs that prepare students for careers, she said.

    Nursing programs continue to be among the most popular among Associate in Applied Science degrees at the college, with 131 students enrolled in the Associate Degree Nursing, the Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses and the Practical Nursing programs this spring.

    BCCC's Medical Office Administration, Criminal Justice Technology, Business Administration, Welding and Early Childhood Education programs also continue to have strong enrollment, according to enrollment figures.

    BCCC's enrollment growth has come at a time of cuts in state and local funding and responding to increased enrollment at the same time that funding has declined "has been one of our biggest challenges," Dr. Tansey said.

BCCC Spring 2013 Registration Figures at a Glance

    •   Women outnumber men on the BCCC campus with 1,284 women enrolled at the college as compared to 656 men.

    •   1,314 students at BCCC list Beaufort County as their resident county. The next largest group of students, 192, listed Pitt County as their resident county.

    •   Minorities account for about 39 percent of students attending BCCC this spring.

    •   Students aged 19 and under account for 31 percent of BCCC students, reflecting the growth of the Beaufort County Early College High School, according to enrollment figures.

    •   727 students are enrolled in 61 online courses this semester while 71 "hybrid" courses that combine online and classroom instruction have attracted 938 students.

    •   Spring semester enrollment has climbed steadily over the last five years. This spring, enrollment at BCCC is up by 171 students from Spring 2009, an increase in enrollment of 10 percent.

    Beaufort County Community College is a public comprehensive community college committed to accessible and affordable quality education, effective teaching, relevant training, and lifelong learning opportunities for the people served by the College.