Northeast Community College reports its highest enrollment in the last five years

Northeast Community College reports its highest enrollment in the last five years
Northeast Community College Class of 2023. (Northeast Community College)
September 18th, 2021 | Northeast Community College

NORFOLK, Neb. – Northeast Community College is experiencing its largest enrollment in the last five years.

“We are excited to report that enrollment at Northeast is up this fall compared to Fall 2020 and Fall 2019 in both headcount and credit hours. This includes increases in new freshmen and in our dual credit students,” said Amanda Nipp, vice president of student services.

With the pandemic impacting enrollment trends during the 2020-21 academic year, college officials have been anticipating what enrollments would look like this year based on the 10th day Enrollment Report. The report is a standard among the higher education community that captures opening enrollment data each semester.

Speaking to the Northeast Board of Governors on Tuesday, Nipp said she is happy to see the trend in the College’s 10th day report, especially since fall 2019 was one of the largest academic years at Northeast in recent years.

“To see that we’re up above 2019 numbers is significant.”

Northeast reports 5,072 students were enrolled as of the tenth day of the Fall 2021 semester. Compared to Fall 2019, which was the College’s third highest enrollment on record, headcount is up 11% and credit hours are up 8% to begin the 2021-22 academic year. Last year, Northeast experienced a 7% decline in the number of freshmen students. This year, the number has increased by 51 students. Northeast also saw a 3.6% jump in the number of continuing students.

A number of area high school students continue to seek out Northeast to guide them in their education. The 10-day Enrollment Report, prepared by Northeast’s Institutional Research Office, confirms that 1,608 early college students have enrolled at Northeast, up 34% from Fall 2020. Twenty-eight percent of the enrolled high school students live in Madison County, 13% are from Cuming County and 9% live in Holt County. Cedar, Knox and Pierce counties each have 7% of high school students enrolled in Northeast’s Early College classes. 

The number of freshmen international students at Northeast has increased as well. At the beginning of the semester, 27 international students were enrolled at Northeast, doubling the number from Fall 2020. It is also the largest incoming class of freshmen international students in five years. 

“After last year with remote learning as the norm, it’s so good to see students on our campuses again,” said Leah Barrett, president. “We promised back in March that we would return to primarily in-person learning. I am encouraged to see so many students who have chosen to continue their education with us.”

Board Chairperson Steve Anderson, of Concord, commended College faculty and staff for their diligent work during the pandemic, which is reflected in the new enrollment report.

“This is great news. The efforts of the faculty, staff and administration are to be commended by the board in these challenging times to continue to offer opportunities for these … students and lifelong learners” he said. “This has been true challenge for anyone who has children who are in college or high school. We do appreciate all the efforts that continue to move (the College) forward.”  

“This year’s enrollment report is pretty amazing,” Nipp said. “We are all proud to see this trend as our employees have worked so hard with much outreach over the summer months. It really takes the entire college to make this happen.”

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