Orange County community colleges are starting to finally recover from the pandemic, seeing a slight increase in total enrollment figures after last year’s decline.
The area’s nine community colleges reported total enrollment increased 5.6% to 129,038 students this year, according to this week’s Business Journal list.
This follows a 1.5% decline in 2022 and a 10% decline in 2021.
Community colleges, according to South Orange Orange County Community College District Chief Communications Officer Letitia Clark, are returning to pre-pandemic benchmarks.
“Both Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College are thriving in a post-pandemic era as they have made pivotal changes to their campus and learning environments,” Clark told the Business Journal.
Colleges are rethinking the way students learn by transforming spaces to fit their needs.
Irvine Valley College unveiled an outdoor learning classroom built by Berliner Architects last summer.
The space features larger lecture-style benches and a demonstration table for smaller groups, accommodating different learning styles.
“These outdoor spaces take advantage of natural light, shade, ventilation and promote a deeper understanding of sustainability by utilizing the campus as a living lab,” Clark said.
One lasting effect of the pandemic, however, is the continuation of hybrid courses. Despite schools returning to in-person learning, many still offer online options for flexibility.
OC community colleges have also shifted their focus to enrolling more students full-time, causing a decrease in part-time enrollment.
Colleges experienced a 20.4% increase in full-time enrollment and a 1.3% drop in part-time enrollment.
Some part-time enrollment figures on the list reflect non-credit students.
Majority Increases
All nine community colleges on the list reported an increase in total enrollment.
Four of the nine—Irvine Valley College, Coastline College, Cypress College and Saddleback College—saw enrollment boosts above 5%, with Irvine Valley College seeing a nearly 20% enrollment increase.
Cypress College saw this year’s third biggest increase in enrollment, a 9.4% jump to 13,940. Its enrollment previously dropped 8% to 12,740 last year.
Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling explained that students often pause their schooling to pursue jobs in a past interview with the Business Journal.
Now Cypress is re-engaging former students who left during the pandemic and expanding dual enrollment offerings with local high schools, according to Cypress College Director of Campus Communications Marc Posner.
Push for Full-Time
Orange Coast College simultaneously saw both the largest drop in part-time enrollment and one of the largest increases in full-time enrollment.
Total enrollment decreased 33.6% to 6,524 while full-time employment went up 55% to 10,475.
The trend is part of Orange Coast’s concerted effort to encourage more students to be full-time, according to Juan Gutierrez, director of marketing and public relations.
Full-time students at community colleges gain access to benefits like early registration and increased financial aid through Cal Grants, Gutierrez said.
Orange Coast has an internal campaign highlighting these benefits called “Take One More” that encourages students to take an additional three more units.
