Sinclair reports big jumps in online, high school student enrollment

Sinclair Community College.

Sinclair Community College.

Sinclair Community College is seeing big gains in enrollment among online classes and high school students.

The school experienced a 10 percent increase in its number of students taking classes online and a 20 percent increase of students taking classes as part of the state’s College Credit Plus program, according to Sinclair.

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College credit plus is a program that allows high school students to take college courses for both high school and college credit, according to the state. Sinclair had around 4,303 total students enrolled in College Credit Plus classes last year and around 11,831 students registered for online classes, according to the school’s website.

Overall enrollment has risen by around 3 percent to 5 percent this spring, according to the school. The college also reports that the number of students 18-years-old and younger taking classes has reached an all time this semester, with around 6,219 enrolled.

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“As we continue this academic year, I am very pleased that students are choosing Sinclair for the training and education they need in this competitive economy,” Sinclair president Steve Johnson said in a prepared statement. “Sinclair works hard to align our programming to the needs of this community and we are tremendously excited at this college’s potential to continue innovating and delivering for this community.”

Sinclair’s business and public services divisions reported enrollment increases of around 11 percent this semester while health sciences program enrollment has increased by around 8 percent, according to the school.

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Sinclair opened a new health sciences facility on its downtown Dayton campus last fall.

Sinclair’s enrollment boost comes even as most other colleges have seen declines in enrollment. This semester marks Sinclair’s 130th anniversary, making it one of the country’s oldest community colleges.

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