Tyler Junior College reached record-breaking enrollment this semester, exceeding 10,000 students.
“Last year we celebrated having 10,000 registrants. This year we are celebrating actually having 10,000students that are going to be on our enrollment,” said Fred Peters, director of Marketing and Public Information.
The official enrollment, which was taken on the 12th day of class, showed TJC with an enrollment of 10,011 students. That total represents a 5.1 percent increase in the number of students.
TJC also reached 2,549,704 contact hours, which is up from last year’s 1,879,544. Contact hours are the total number of hours students spend in class over the semester.
Last year TJC broke records with 10,000 students registered, but because of state required deadlines, dual credit students couldn’t be included in the official enrollment.
“Had we been able to register all of our dual credit students, the number would be even higher,” Peters said. “But we’ve got the majority of them now.”
Peters said that the number this year shouldn’t change as much as last year, because of earlier registration.
“This number won’t be that dramatic. The 10,011 won’t change much,” Peters said.
“When the state certifies it, we will be right around that number. You won’t see a drop of 2,000 students.”
More students were included in the initial number taken by TJC because they registered more quickly to meet the state required deadline, but that the final number wouldn’t be released until November.
The reason the state deadlines were not met for registration last year was because of the alignment of school district calendars.
Many schools were beginning classes later in the year than ever before, which caused dual credit registration at the college to be pushed back as well.
While the college has 10,000 students enrolled, Peters said dual credit students account for over 1,000 of those.
Also, Peters said that some students are taking classes strictly online. He said there are probably only about 8,700 students on campus at any given time.
One of the factors believed to increase the number of students enrolled at TJC is the new Joseph Z. and Louise H. Ornelas Residential Complex.
This complex alone houses 452 students and ten staff members during each semester, which doesn’t include other campus housing.
