Elgin Community College fall enrollment soars

The halls might feel a little tighter when classes resume at Elgin Community College on Monday.

The college's fall enrollment is up by more than 20 percent compared to fall 2008.

In fact, with 10,778 students signed up for the fall semester, ECC is nearing its high-water mark set in spring 2005 of 10,916 pupils.

Eleanor MacKinney, chairwoman of the college board of trustees, said she believes the increase is due to more than just the recession prodding people to go back to school.

"It's very exciting," she said. "It's more than the economy. People are recognizing a good value and good education."

Last fall, 8,936 students enrolled in classes, meaning this fall's numbers are 20.6 percent higher.

ECC officials noticed the surge in enrollment over the summer. All told, the jump mirrors enrollment increases at other area suburban community colleges.

For example, enrollment of students taking at least 12 credit hours at the College of DuPage rose 7.7 percent from a year ago to 14,694 students.

Carol Cowles, ECC's dean of students, said the college does not break down enrollment that way, but noted that the overall number of credit hours is up 20.7 percent as well.

She said officials have planned additional registration and orientation times for potential students who have not yet signed up and will have extra people directing traffic into overflow parking lot areas when classes begin on Monday.

"We've been working all summer long in anticipation for this. We began to see our numbers soar at the beginning of the summer," Cowles said. "We think we're going to break the record. We're really close now."