Harper enrollment growing

Harper College's 2009-2010 head count was up 5.5 percent, one of the largest one-year gains in the school's history, according to a news release.

Nearly 27,650 students enrolled in credit classes over the course of Summer and Fall 2009 and Spring 2010.

While enrollment grew across the board, students ages 25 and older accounted for the biggest chunk of the increase; adult enrollment was up 11 percent.

Dean of Enrollment Services Maria Moten said adults are turning to Harper for retraining, new careers or extra skills to make them more marketable as the nation climbs out of the recession. The number of students ages 19 to 24 taking Harper courses grew 6.5 percent.

Summer 2010 numbers mirror those trends, but also show a 15 percent increase over summer 2009 in the number of new students heading to Harper straight out of high school.

Moten said more new high school grads are looking for an affordable jump-start on college credits.