Columbia Standard

Columbia College enrollment grew this year compared to 2020, keeping alive a plan to increase the number of students on campus by 50% over the next five years.

According to the school’s website, the final enrollment report for the undergraduate program in the fall of 2020 showed an increase of 119 first-year and graduate students to 282. 

Over that same time, graduate enrollment is also reported up by 37% to 327 students.

“We have a five-year plan to increase our enrollment by 50% in undergraduate and graduate students and this year’s enrollment is already ahead of projections,” President Dr. Tom Bogart added. “The future is very promising for Columbia College.”

Bogart attributes the rapid rise in undergraduates to such factors as engaging more voices in the recruitment process, revising its marketing strategy ad admissions process over the last 18 months and focusing on male students, a group that has accounted for 63% of the 119 new students for a 53% increase overall.

Dean of Enrollment Management Vincent Maloney added everyone involved across the campus deserves credit for the changing dynamics.

“Everyone from the facilities personnel beautifying campus to faculty taking time to engage with prospective students made the difference,” he said. “The team in admissions has worked so hard to streamline the admissions process from application to the first day of class, and their commitment has paid off.”

Overall, Vincent highlights admissions applications are up by 57%.

 “The extra work of faculty, staff, students and alumni improved our yield from applicant to student, which explains how we increased 57% in applications but increased 73% in new enrolled students,” he added.