College sees promise in enrollment trend

From the The Brunswick News

Enrollment at College of Coastal Georgia for the upcoming fall semester is on track with expectations.

While initial numbers do not reflect a large surge in applications, Clayton Daniels, assistant vice president for enrollment management and student affairs, says enrollment has been steady.

"We're slightly up in enrollment and registration from last year," Daniels said. A year ago, 3,500 students registered for classes, an increase of about 100 students over 2010.

The college will have a clearer picture on enrollment for this fall semester in the weeks leading up to the first day of classes, Aug. 20. The application deadline was Monday.

"A lot of returning students have already sent in (applications)," Daniels said. "We're also seeing more transfer students, which is important."

As a four-year college with bachelor's degree programs, maintaining a steady enrollment is important to the college as it plans for growth, Daniels said.

Dorm space is getting tight, which is good news to the college. Unlike the past year, when the fall 2011 semester opened with dorm vacancies, it's shaping up to be a full house by the beginning of the school year.

"Right now, we've filled about (330) rooms, and the dorm holds about 350," Daniels said. "We are on track to be full within the next two weeks and when school starts."

That's especially important to the college, which is in the planning stages of another dormitory facility.

"We're also seeing a higher number of local students who want to live on campus, as well as returning students," Daniels said. "That's a big deal to us because we want to eventually open up another phase of housing."

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