PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC) reports an increase in students from 1,367 in 2022 to 1,601 in 2023, representing an increase of 17.1 percent--the largest percent increase in students since the institution started tracking this metric in 1991. 

 

The last time BCC experienced an increase of this magnitude was 2009, when the number of students increased by 14.3 percent 

 

For matriculated students, BCC reported an increase from 1,079 in 2022 to 1,173 in 2023, an 8.7 percent increase. A matriculated student is any student who is enrolled in a program to pursue a degree or a certificate. For overall credits taken by students, the institution reported a 12.0 percent increase. 

 

The largest share of these gains comes from dual enrollment students (high school students) and Pre-Nursing students, followed by Liberal Arts and Business Administration students.  

 

Adam Klepetar, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, said that while the increase in enrollment cannot be definitively linked to any particular source, positive indicators include the Commonwealth's new MassReconnect program, the recent funding supporting scholarships for community college nursing programs and BCC's increased online offerings.  

 

MassReconnect provides Massachusetts residents?ages?25 and older with access to free associate degrees and certificates at community colleges.?This fall, 47.5 percent of matriculated BCC students are in the age group eligible for the program. 

 

"MassReconnect is going to be a shot in the arm for students who may not have otherwise enrolled in college due to financial concerns," Klepetar said. "But there are also major efforts right here at BCC, including great marketing, improved data analytics that helped us focus our recruitment and retention efforts, and our partnerships to recruit stop-out students," Klepetar said.  

 

A stop-out student is one who stops attending college for at least one year. After working with a company called Motimatic, which helps colleges and universities increase recruitment and enrollment, BCC saw "a really big spike in readmitted students," Klepetar said.