As with national and state trends, South Georgia State College (SGSC) continues to experience changes in various sectors of enrollment. While overall enrollment landed at 2,540, roughly the same as last year, there are several positive indicators for the college.
Online classes continue to grow as students desire more flexibility and convenience to meet their unique schedules and individual situations. As a result, SGSC saw fully online enrollment double over last fall. Plus, the Dual Enrollment program in partnership with the state of Georgia and area high schools continues to increase in popularity. This family friendly option allows eligible high school students to obtain college credit at no cost, resulting in a 10% growth over last year.
Applications for new students were up over 2% this fall. Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers comments, “This is a validation that our enhanced marketing and recruiting efforts are moving in the right direction; however, we will continue to adapt and add new strategies to increase the number of students and families who can learn and benefit from the quality and value an SGSC education provides.”
As interest in SGSC grows, the College will also see an increase in the number of students who require financial assistance to attend. Current data shows that about 84% of students at SGSC require some type of financial assistance to enroll or remain in school.
Thompson-Sellers adds, “As an access institution, it is our mission to provide educational opportunities to all students. The more students we enroll and graduate, the more economic impact our region will gain, so I look forward to creating partnerships with individuals, businesses and organizations to help address providing additional funding for student support at SGSC.”