NORFOLK, Neb. – Northeast Community College’s 10th Day Enrollment Report shows increases in dual enrollment students again this year, with overall enrollment estimated to be stable across the board.
The report compares current enrollment to 10th day enrollments in Fall of 2022, which was the highest the college had recorded in 10 years.
Overall, Northeast had 4,781 students enrolled on the 10th day of fall classes, with an estimated additional 590 students yet to be enrolled in the college’s job training and safety courses due to a processing change. With these additional students enrolled, Northeast is estimated to be up 127 students from Fall 2022.
Moreover, Northeast’s credit hours are estimated at 45,580, up from 45,389 credit hours in fall of 2022. The headcount is estimated to be up 2.42% from last year, with credits estimated to be up .42% over last year.
Vice President of Student Services Amanda Nipp said the report is encouraging.
“We are more than holding on our own at a time when there are fewer students overall with smaller class sizes entering college. Our college vision is to empower every person in our region to achieve their academic and workforce development goals. These figures are consistent with that vision,” Nipp said.
The 10th day Enrollment Report is a standard among the higher education community that captures opening enrollment data each semester. It is prepared by Northeast’s Institutional Research and Analytics Office.
Northeast offers no cost, college classes to high school students. The 10th Day Enrollment Report indicates that this benefit is well received across the 20-county region.
There were 1,972 early college (dually enrolled high school students) this year taking 10,714 credits, which is up 199 students and 1,196 credits over last year. That translates into 11.22% more early college students taking 12.57% more credits over the same time last year.
Leah Barrett, Northeast president, said early college aligns with Northeast’s strategic priorities, including student pathways to success, excellence and innovation in educational programs and effective resource management.
“Providing the opportunity for students to start their college experience and enroll in courses to explore different career pathways sets them up for success in higher education. Students who enroll in early college complete a two-year or four-year degree at a higher rate than those who do not. Providing early college courses for free is a strategic effort to improve the college going rate in Northeast Nebraska.”
Northeast’s Institutional Research Office reports the number of first-time freshmen at the college is stable at 1,002, which was equal to the number of freshmen starting at the college in 2022. Up this year is international freshman, with 42 new students coming to Northeast, making it the largest incoming class of freshmen international students at the college in the last 10 years.
Barrett said as Northeast gets ready to celebrate its 50th anniversary as an institution, it is appropriate to reflect on the college’s past and vision. That includes empowering the next generation of students to achieve their academic and workforce development goals.
“This report is good news. We want future generations to feel inspired and challenged as we reflect on 50 years of hard work and success and look forward to the next 50.”
PHOTO CUTLINE – Class of 2025
Freshmen students at Northeast Community College pose for a class photo on the green space outside of the College’s Lifelong Learning Center during New Student Orientation in August. Northeast Community College’s 10th Day Enrollment Report shows increases in dual enrollment students again this year, with overall enrollment estimated to be stable across the board. (Northeast Community College)