Community college enrollment spikes

Enrollment at Connecticut colleges and universities grew 3.6 percent from last fall, the largest annual gain in two decades.

A record 191,000 students matriculated this fall in the state”™s colleges and universities, according to a preliminary report by the Connecticut Department of Higher Education.

The growth was attributed primarily to community colleges, which saw their student populations increase 8.2 percent compared to 1.8 percent at four-year schools.

“As with everything else, the economy is having a tremendous impact on higher education,” said Michael Meotti, commissioner of higher education, in a prepared statement. “The harder it becomes to find a job, the more people opt to enroll in college for retraining or a degree. Many are taking advantage of lower-cost two-year colleges while students at four-year colleges appear to be staying there until they get their degrees.”

Among four-year institutions, the University of Connecticut, Yale University and Western Connecticut State University set new highs for enrollment.