Purdue University North Central set all-time enrollment and credit hour records this fall. The 2012 - 2013 academic year opened Monday, Aug. 20 with a record 6,048 students enrolled in a record 55,219 credit hours.
This represents a 15 percent increase in students over the fall semester of 2011.
Undergraduate degree-seeking students are taking an average of 11.8 credit hours each. In addition, the average PNC undergraduate degree-seeking student is 25 years old. There are 2,467 males and 3,581 females enrolled. PNC has 1,721 students from LaPorte County and 2,289 students from Porter County.
This semester, there are 2,475 students taking 13,670 credit hours through the Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment program. This allows high school students to earn both high school and Purdue University credits while they take classes in their high school during the regular school day. Enrollment in this program saw a 51 percent increase in students over the 1,644 students enrolled in 2011. PNC works with 46 Northwest Indiana high schools to offer Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment classes.
While PNC has offered the Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment program for some time, it recently partnered with five area high schools to launch a pilot 1 + 3 Concurrent Enrollment Program. This program gives high school students an opportunity to complete one year of college coursework while in high school, allowing them to enter PNC with 30 credit hours of credit toward their degrees. Students who enroll as full-time PNC students will be on track to graduate in three years.
Of the 611 first-time, full-time degree seeking freshmen enrolled at PNC this fall, 139 students earned Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment credits in high school and entered PNC with an average of 10 credits hours.
"As PNC sets another enrollment record, it is clear that our students know the value of higher education and understand that earning a bachelor's degree is crucial to their future success," said PNC Chancellor Dr. James B. Dworkin.
"Likewise, the students in our Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment program have already shown their commitment to earning their college degrees. By earning their degrees in three years, they not only save a considerable amount of money, but they gain a tremendous advantage as they enter the competitive job market," said Paul McGuinness, vice chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Services.
PNC has 53 students enrolled in its Saturday Master of Business Administration program, offered at PNC - Porter County in Valparaiso. PNC - Porter County also offers a full schedule of undergraduate courses. This semester, 492 students are enrolled in 2,215 credit hours of classes there.