Economy’s down — but these numbers are up

May 4, 2009 by Geneva Reid

Despite the tough economy, there’s one area where colleges and universities are seeing a rise in numbers.

Take a look at these stats for online class enrollment:

More than 4.6 million students signed up for at least one online course in 2008 – an increase of 20% over the previous year
2009 figures are expected to increase by more than 20% compared to ’08, and
By 2013, growth likely will climb to 35%.

What’s the No. 1 reason online course enrollment is growing so rapidly? Flexibility.

Both students and teachers can choose when to take or teach a class – and they’re getting the same material as if they were sitting in a classroom.

Are you seeing growth in your online class enrollment? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Rebecca D Says:
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Yes! On-line enrollment was up by about 40% in 2008 at Great Basin College. We are in a predominantly rural area that includes most of the state of Nevada. The mining industry is our largest employer here and people are working. With the unsteady economic outlook, many students are finishing degrees or adding to their resume just in case. On-line education is and has been the only way for working folks to do this. GBC will continue to expand its on-line offerings.

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