Kirkwood sees record summer enrollment

Kirkwood Community College saw a summer credit enrollment increase of more than 13 percent, setting record numbers, officials said Tuesday.

Official summer 2010 enrollment was 7,990 credit students, an uptick of 960 people from last summer. Kirkwood offers classes in first, second and summer-long sessions and took the official count in mid-July.

Kirkwood enrollment officials said there are a large number of "reverse transfer" students this summer -- students who take one or more classes that they will apply to college degree studies at other colleges and universities in the coming years.  And enrollments in Kirkwood's web-based and county center-based Distance Learning courses increased by a combined 25 percent from last summer.

“As we took a look at enrollment activity and interest, we saw increases in a majority of our offerings and services,” Vice President for Enrollment Services Kristie Fisher said.