Southwestern Community College is trying to figure out how to reverse a downward enrollment trend at its Macon County campus, while the neighboring Macon Early College tries to keep up its course offerings.
According to SCC, the Macon campus headcount rebounded in Fall 2023 to 236 from a low of 221 in Fall 2022. However, the full-time equivalency dropped again, from 57.7 to 55. Five years ago, in 2019, the headcount was 323 and the FTE was 99.9. Most of the drop happened due to the pandemic, where it went to a headcount of 274 and 70.9 FTE in Fall 2020.
SCC Spokesperson Tyler Goode said they are keeping a close eye on enrollment, calling it a “major point of focus.”
“All the research we’re seeing is that there’s been a nationwide drop in college enrollment among young adults since the pandemic,” Goode said. “This has been true locally as well.”
Goode also cited low unemployment levels for the drop, saying fewer individuals are interested in pursuing a new career.
However, Goode says SCC is confident in a post-pandemic rebound, saying earlier this year they formed a Macon Campus task force aimed at growing enrollment.
“Another factor locally is that Macon Early College experienced some enrollment decline for the first two years after the pandemic,” Goode said. “That has since rebounded, and if the current trend continues, we should see overall enrollment and FTE increases for the next two years.”
Less SCC enrollment has meant the number of course offerings declined, which affects Macon Early College.
From a peak of 85 SCC courses available to MEC students in 2021-22, it dropped to 78 last year and then to 77 this school year. This comes as MEC enrollment has fluctuated, going from 129 at the start of the 2021-22 school year to 115 last year and back up to 137 this year, according to MCS data.
Macon County Schools CTE Director Colleen Strickland said the slight dip in SCC course offerings for MEC students last school year was a “positive sign of our commitment to refining our offerings based on student feedback and evolving interests.”
“Rest assured, every student at Macon Early College is actively working toward a two-year transfer degree, and our courses are thoughtfully curated to support their academic journey,” Strickland said.