NEW SCHOLARSHIP STRUCTURE!
Williston State College enrollment at an all time high
Posted: Feb 18 2015
The release of enrollment census data Tuesday morning shows WSC numbers are up. With a 13.24% increase from Spring 2014, Williston State College is at record high with a headcount of 1,009. "It's actually the highest headcount we've ever seen," Kaylyn Bondy, Registrar, Director for Effectiveness commented.
With 89.49% of the spring students coming from Montana or North Dakota, Bondy explained, "Even before the release of the Williams County Scholarship, we are providing options and helping our community. We cannot wait for fall so we can continue serving them with the addition of free tuition."
The majority of the increase for spring headcount comes from the robust dual credit program. Bondy noted that "Kari Rustand and the Extended Learning department have been working hard to foster relationships at high schools, and these numbers are a prime example of their hard work." Dual credit headcount is up 65% from Spring 2014. Kari Rustand, Associate Dean for Extended Learning explained why: "Dual Credit or Early Entry courses are nationally on the rise across the U.S. due to the continual increase in costs associated with earning a post-secondary certificate or degree. We work to provide the best learning opportunities for students in our area to ensure they have opportunities to become successful."
Liberal arts classes make up the majority (67%) of credit hours for Spring 2015. "This indicates that many students take their general education requirements with us," said Bondy. The CTE programs are steadily increasing which is indicative of the job market in this region. Recent donations and the TAACCCT grant have allowed for these CTE departments to attain equipment needs to increase in size to meet the demands for jobs.
"Right now, 79% of our students are under the age of 24, but with the Williams County Scholarship being open to any graduate no matter what year, we are expecting that percentage to change, showing a more diverse population next year at WSC," Bondy explained.
With this census release and WSC projected numbers for the Fall, Williston State College's enrollment has increased dramatically. As of February 12th, WSC has 249 applications for Fall 2015, and, of those, 62% are eligible for the Williams County Scholarship. And it couldn't have come at a better time. Enrollment is rising as our campus continues to improve and grow, Jenny Wolf, Director of Creative Services noted, "It's great to see the opening of Stevens Hall coincide with these enrollment numbers, we want as many students as possible in this great new space. We are here to serve the community and the more the merrier."
Enrollment projections are even better. While Spring 2015 has shown record numbers with an increase of 13.24%, this Fall applications have had a 60% increase over Fall 2014. |
For more information, contact Kaylyn Bondy at 701.774.4585
For information regarding Williston State, visit www.willistonstate.edu or call 1.888.863.9455.
where the people make the difference