CCA surpasses enrollment goals, officially climbs out of pandemic slump

AURORA, Colo. – The Community College of Aurora is on pace to achieve a historic milestone in enrollment numbers for the 2023 fall semester. The school expects to enroll 400 additional students this fall far surpassing enrollment goals. At the current rate, CCA will serve over 9,000 students for fall alone.

CCA President Dr. Mordecai Brownlee says the college has officially climbed back from the 12% enrollment downturn experienced during the height of the COVID pandemic. The 5.4% increase this fall followed a 7% increase a year ago. Dual enrollment and online programs have also seen an increase in numbers. 

CCA President Dr. Mordecai Ian Brownlee credits the school’s recent efforts to draw in and retain students, using a proactive approach to communicate the benefits of a community college education. 

“At the beginning of the pandemic, CCA experienced a 12% enrollment decline. It brings me great pide to share that as of this semester, our college has fully rebounded from our pandemic enrollment loss,” Dr. Brownlee said. 

He went on to say, “Our enrollment success has also brought out transformative student success metrics. Since the development of our college strategic enrollment management plan, CCA has seen a 41% decline in students who withdrew from at least one course and a 28% dip in students repeating courses.”

CCA Vice President of Enrollment Management and Pathway Success, Clair Collins points to the holistic efforts of the Enrollment Management team for the dramatic gains in enrollment this fall. 

“When everything comes together for a student and they know what to take, how to pay for classes, and where to go for support, magic can happen on a community college campus. The entire enrollment management team, advising, recruitment, Financial Aid, and registration & records are all working together to bring students in the door and then ensure that they return for another semester,” Collins said.

Dr. Brownlee points to the high rate of success for students after completing their education at CCA. Many of those students move on to four year degree programs, or enter the workforce with high paying jobs. Surveys of recent graduates show 93.3% of students agreed that CCA helped them meet their educational goals.

The CCA foundation offers more than 70 scholarship programs, providing an opportunity for many students to attend school for little to no cost. The college is an open access institution, and offers 98 degrees and certificate programs. 

Through its concurrent enrollment program, CCA serves more than 5,000 high school students through partnerships with around 56 public and charter high schools in the Aurora and Denver area. 

CCA awarded more than a thousand certificates and degrees in the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, the school has delivered more than $6 million dollars in aid to its students. 

Learn more about CCA, and enroll HERE.