Gordon State College Ranked No. 1 in Percentage Growth of Students According to USG Enrollment Report
By Karolina Philmon, GSC Marketing Manager
University System of Georgia (USG) total enrollment for spring 2023 stands at 311,484 students attending the state’s 26 public colleges and universities with Gordon State College having the largest growth in terms of percent of students according to USG’s semester enrollment report.
In spring 2022, GSC had an enrollment of 2,643 students. Being ranked No.1 in percentage growth of students, GSC registered 2,849 students for spring 2023 displaying a 7.8% increase. This commemorates GSC’s fourth consecutive semester of year over year enrollment growth. There were 11 institutions that showed an increase in enrollment with 15 institutions that had a decrease. However, USG enrollment decrease that occurred each year from fall to spring is less this year with a 22,975 headcount difference compared to last year with 26,320.
“We are delighted to see that our efforts have demonstrated our values of excellence, collaboration and being student-focused. While the data points suggest success in terms of enrollment efforts, we also view this as a success in terms of changing lives and generations. During this season of sports tournaments, it feels like we just won the championship,” said GSC President, Dr. Kirk A. Nooks.
According to USG’s semester enrollment report released on April 11, emerging technologies that provide students instant access to personalized information is one strategy USG institutions are utilizing in developing new recruitment and retention initiatives. The report also said there is reason for optimism in the population of students returning to college as adults retrain for new careers after the pandemic shuffled job opportunities.
While dual enrollment across the system decreased by 6.1% compared to last spring, GSC is ranked third overall in the state college sector with 429 dual enrolled students.
“There is no better feeling than to see a vision come to fruition, to see what can manifest when innovation meets hard work and commitment,” said Dean of Enrollment Services, Melissa Johnson. “The staff and faculty at Gordon State College have stayed the course – these outcomes reflect their dedication to serving students and our communities. These enrollment increases are more than percentages and numbers, they are lives that we will touch now and into the future. I am grateful to be a part of such an amazing team.”
On a demographic level, USG’s student population continues to become more diverse as students identifying as Asian and Hispanic grew 5.4% and 3.4% respectively. There were slim declines in African American (-2.2%) and white (-3.5%) students.
USG’s annual spring semester enrollment report analyzes enrollment data by institution, age, gender, race and ethnicity, in-state, out-of-state and international students. The full report is available here.