558 N. Main St., Prineville, OR 97754 | (541) 447-6205
Central Oregon Community College Campus in Redmond, Oregon.
It's a growing trend in Crook County, and all around the country. Adults of all ages are going back to college in record numbers.
At Central Oregon Community College, from 2000 to 2005, the increase in fall-term enrollment in full-time credit classes stayed relatively steady. However, by 2006, the numbers began to change drastically, increasing by 39 percent in 2009. This trend continues, and classes are filling up fast.
"COCC's student population started growing approximately three years ago, or one year prior to other community colleges in Oregon. That growth is attributed to a variety of factors, including expanded scholarship dollars, thanks to the generosity of the Turner Family; expanded marketing and recruiting efforts both locally and across the state; and related strategic initiatives. While we are still benefiting from these efforts, our recent growth is certainly affected by the downturn in the local economy. Thankfully, through partnerships with Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council and the Department of Employment, our advising staff has assisted a significant number of community members affected by layoffs transition to becoming a student and in developing academic plans leading to a variety of new career fields," said Alicia Moore, dean of Student and Enrollment Services at COCC.
A closer look at the numbers at Central Oregon Community College also tells a story. If one looks at credit FTE for fall term (A measure of student activity in classes where students have the opportunity to earn credit. Credit FTE includes College Now courses, post-secondary remedial, lower-division collegiate and professional technical courses), the increase from 2008 to 2009 was 23.5 percent. The largest increase in credit headcount by location was in Madras/Culver, at 182 percent. Prineville was next in line at 25 percent. In-district, degree-seeking students at COCC are up by 24 percent. The headcount for full-time credit classes is up by 42 percent, while non-credit classes are actually on the decline by -5.4 percent. (Information from Central Oregon Community College, end-of-term reports and annual enrollment reports.)
By breaking down the numbers by age and gender, the demographics are even more interesting. The highest increase for 2008-2009 shows the largest numbers for students between the ages of 30-40, with the numbers being close to equal for both men and women. The numbers stay pretty steady for men, ages 40-50, while the number for women in this age range starts to drop. In 2004-2006, the numbers for these age groups showed close to a flat rate of increase, and in some cases a decrease. (Annual Enrollment Report, Report 11: Headcount by age and gender. Central Oregon Community College)
"On average, most of the students in my classes are around their late 20s or early 40s. There are actually quite a few people in my classes that are 30 or over. If I had to give an estimate, it would probably be around 70 percent or so," said Corey Larson, a full-time student at Central Oregon Community College. "I've heard displaced worker stories from several classmates who have been out of school for years. Usually they are back in school because either their business wasn't successful or they got laid off. Sometimes, the case is that they are in college for more training or to get another degree."
Although these numbers only reflect a very small picture in the scheme of things for secondary education, there is definitely a national trend toward re-educating America.
"Not only are these numbers that we are seeing at COCC unprecedented, they are also that way in the rest of Oregon and across the nation," Moore reflected.
As the motto of the University of Phoenix states, "An educated world is a better world."
