College enrollment down 9.4%.

October 20, 2014

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. 

VICTORY TWP. — Enrollment at West Shore Community College has decreased 9.4% compared to the 2013 fall semester, but is similar to the college’s enrollment in 2009, prior to the economic downturn in the state. There are currently 1,346 students enrolled at the college, down 140 students from last year. This also equates to a 11.4% decrease in credit hours, at 11,961 hours, down from 1,541 hours last year. Economic downturns often result in higher enrollments in colleges, especially community colleges, according to Chad Inabinet, dean of student services, who presented the figures during the October meeting of the board of trustees.

Of those 1,346 students, only 452 are full-time, 33.6% of the college’s enrollment, down from 34.4% in fall 2013. The average age of the WSCC student this semester is 24 compared to 25 in 2013 and 26 in 2009.

There is a slight increase, however, of students who graduated from local high schools enrolled at West Shore; 27.31% of in-district graduates enrolled at WSCC compared to 25% in fall 2013; 21.64% of all area graduates enrolled compared to 20.98% in 2013.

Inabinet said his office will make attempts to work with agencies that service non-traditional students and encourage those individuals to consider West Shore. He said also that many of the local high schools have been experiencing lower enrollment lately but the lower grades have increased numbers. He said his office will be reaching out to the middle schools and even elementary schools to encourage future students to consider WSCC.

Other statistics:

– 59.4% of the students are female, 40.6% are male.

– 46.96% degree-seeking students returned from winter 2014 semester, 463 from 986 students.

– Decrease of 8.7% of first time in any college students, 21 less than 2013.

– Decrease of 11.6% of transfer-in students, 245 students, 32 less than 2013.

– Increase of 12.13% of dual enrolled students, 268, 13 more than 2013; 188 in 2009.

– 38.4% of Career and Technical Education of eligible students enrolled at WSCC, down from 49% in 2013, 28 compared to 73.

– Increase in the number of government agency students enrolled, such as students from Michigan Works, MI 4C TEACH, MI Rehab and AmeriCorp: 4 compared to 3.

– Increase of employer sponsored students, 34 compared to 9 in 2013.

– Decrease of 9.3% of online students, 559 compared to 616 in 2013.

– Increase of 39.4% of Manistee Center student enrollment; 237 compared to 170 in fall 2013.

– Decrease of veterans enrolled, 45 compared to 53 in 2013.

Percentage of area high school graduates who attend WSCC:

– Manistee Catholic Central, 52.63% of student body.

– Ludington, 36.72%

– Manistee, 28.43%

– Mason County Eastern, 27.27%

– Mason County Central, 26.97%

– Onekama, 26.32%

– Walkerville, 13.33%

– Bear Lake, 13.04%

– Shelby, 10.67% (out of district)

– Brethren, 9.26%

– Baldwin, 9.09% (out of district)

– ASM, 7.14%

– Hart, 5.06% (out of district)

– Pentwater, 0 (out of district)

– Casman, 0

– Journey, not available

Number of area high school graduates who attend WSCC:

– Ludington, 47

– Manistee, 29

– Mason County Central, 24

– Manistee Catholic Central, 10

– Onekama, 10

– Mason County Eastern, 9

– Shelby, 8

– Brethren, 5

– Hart, 4

– Bear Lake, 3

– ASM, 2

– Baldwin, 2

– Walkerville, 2

– Pentwater, 0

– Casman, 0

– Journey, not available

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