Recession prompts enrollment growth at Rutgers

When classes begin tomorrow Rutgers will welcome the largest first-year class in its history, with an estimated 7,300 first-year students expected university-wide.

When classes begin tomorrow, Rutgers will welcome the largest first-year class in its history, with an estimated 7,300 first-year students expected university-wide. The recession is boosting enrollments from community colleges to 4-year public universities.

The school’s growing academic reputation and the nation’s sliding economy have led to the record number of students, says Courtney McAnuff, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Rutgers.

“Many students who might have considered going out of state are staying in state now to get a better value for their dollar. It certainly has presented challenges to us because the enrollment growth comes with significant reductions in state support and so the University’s commitment to maintaining the academic integrity and the classes for students makes it more difficult to deliver services, so it has been a challenge.”

Of the freshman class, about one-third of enrolling students are from families in which neither parent has a four-year college degree.