Bad economy good for enrollment
When the economy goes south, enrollment at colleges and universities tends to rise. Such is the case locally, where four-year universities and technical colleges continue to experience significant application and enrollment increases in the wake of a sluggish economy.
Applications to Marquette University’s law school increased 27% over last year’s applications, while first-year enrollment jumped 20%. In 2002, applications to Marquette’s College of Professional Studies increased 25% from 2001 applications. Graduate School applications have increased about 28% each year for the last two years.
The hike in graduate and professional program applications is spurred largely by working professionals who want to improve their qualifications and make themselves more attractive in a tight job market, said Ben Tracy, Marquette’s director of university communication.
The Milwaukee Area Technical College also has seen a large increase in applications to a variety of its programs, said Jim Gribble, MATC’s director of public relations. In general, MATC had 37% more applications this year than last year. That will translate into an enrollment increase of about 6% to 10% in the fall, Gribble said.
And while budgetary concerns have forced schools in the University of Wisconsin system to limit enrollment, MATC is courting more students.
"Because of the economy, there is an increased need for our services," Gribble said. "It’s hard to get jobs right now, so people need to have employable skills. If someone who has a university background is out of work, they often need to reinvent themselves quickly and less expensively at a technical college."
But it isn’t that Marquette and MATC necessarily are competing for students. Working adults typically go to Marquette for advanced degrees such as an MBA or a law degree rather than a program that will teach them technical skills, Tracy said.
Marquette’s graduate and professional schools are not the only programs benefiting from the stagnant economy. The university has experienced record-breaking application numbers to its undergraduate programs. Marquette received 8,231 freshman applications this year, beating last year’s record of about 7,500 applicants.
The university expects more than 1,900 freshmen to enroll, making it the largest freshman class in 17 years. Tracy attributes the increased interest in Marquette to a new marketing strategy and the university’s reputation.
About three years ago, Marquette switched its marketing focus from high school juniors to sophomores, understanding that high school students are making college decisions earlier, Tracy said. It also condensed all of the information it sends to prospective students into one book, known as the "Big Book." The book is photo- and graphic-heavy and is written specifically for high school students.
July 11, 2003 Small Business Times, Milwaukee
