Recession drives up GCC numbers
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As people throughout the region continue to struggle with the effects of the Great Recession, it seems that some have turned to a higher power: education.
Greenfield Community College has seen an increase in enrollment since the beginning of the recession. Since the 2006-2007 school year, enrollment has been on the rise, moving from 2,916 students enrolled in credit courses to 3,309 students last year.
"It's our time," said GCC President Bob Pura. "People are seeking a higher education because they know it is a significant factor in getting a good job."
Pura said the economy has been a driving force behind the education wave. However, its impact on the community college is not straightforward. The sluggish growth has spurred three separate student populations to turn to community college for higher education.
Traditional students
The traditional population of students, who are younger than 25, make up the bulk of the increase, said Pura. In the fall of 2007, there were 1,304 traditional students. This fall there are 1,432, an increase of 128 students.
This can be partially attributed to the rising cost of education, said Pura. A four-year college may require an investment of as much $200,000. So, in the current economy, traditional students have turned to GCC as an affordable option.
"The cost of higher education continues to go up," said Pura. "Families are facing $40,000 to $50,000 a year for a bachelor's degree most cannot afford."
Tuition at GCC is about $5,000 a year for in-state students.
However, some students do not stay at GCC. In the class of 2009, 36 percent of all students transferred to a four-year- college after their first year at GCC, which is up from 27 percent for the class of 2005. Total transfers to two- and four-year colleges throughout the students' time at GCC remained relatively stable, around 40 percent.
Pura said this is a trend that is continuing as students use the more affordable community college as a starting point to a four-year degree. Many transfer and then pursue a bachelor's degree at area universities like the University of Massachusetts.
"These colleges want our students, because our students are successful when they leave GCC," said Pura. "Community college is not just an affordable alternative but a quality alternative."
Casualties of the economy
The second student population that has been driven to community college by the economic crisis are the casualties of the economy.
In the fall of 2007, there were 932 students who were older than 25. This fall, that number has grown to 1,078 students.
Pura said some are students who have been laid off from their jobs and are seeking to obtain an education to take back to a competitive job market.
"People are looking to rebuild and restart," said Pura. "We've had wonderful success with people coming back to school to enter new career fields like renewable and reusable energy."
Retraining classes
GCC's noncredit programs developed a larger student population seeking shelter from the economic crisis in the early years of the Great Recession. These courses do not build credit toward a degree but provide an advantage in a competitive job market by teaching useful skills. The college offers these courses in areas like business administration, massage therapy and certificate programs for things like certified nursing assistant.
From the 2005-2006 school year to the 2007-2008 year, enrollment jumped from 2,818, students to a high of 3,137 students. Since then, numbers have returned to normal levels, which hover around 2,000 students, with 1,930 students last year.
"It's important for the college to offer those courses for students who are looking to develop a new skill or continue their own lifelong learning," said Pura.
However, these numbers are not included in the total enrollment because they are not for credit. If included, the number of students at GCC rises to 6,055 in the 2007-2008 year.
The increase in students enrolled in credit courses has remained stable over the past three years. Enrollment this fall was 2,510, well above 2,236 for the fall of 2007.
