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North Park Undergrad Enrollment Up 100 Students
CHICAGO, IL (August 31, 2005) - North Park University expects an enrollment
increase of 100 undergraduate students from 2004 levels, says Mark
Olson, dean of enrollment and director of church relations. As classes
are set to begin, enrollment also promises to be strong at a number of
Covenant educational institutions, according to school representatives.
Final enrollment figures at North Park could reach more than 1,600
students, Olson says. He noted that less than 1,000 students attended
the school 12 years ago.
Olson says this year's dramatic enrollment increase is due to several
factors: a new tuition and financial aid restructuring program; getting
an earlier start on recruitment; enhanced customer service; and
improvements of campus grounds.
Enrollment at the university last year included 480 new undergraduate
students. This year, final enrollment is expected to be between 575 and
580, Olson says. Those figures include transfer students as well as
freshmen.
Earlier this year, NPU announced a new tuition and financial aid
restructuring that caught national attention. Published tuition for
first-time students for the 2005-2006 academic year is now $13,900,
representing nearly a 32 percent decrease from the $20,350 published
price for last fall.
Olson says the previously published price was misleading as few incoming
students ever pay that amount because academic scholarships and
financial aid packages reduced tuition expenses. The decrease has been a
major step in helping North Park make a more favorable first impression
on families seeking colleges for their children, he believes.
The restructuring "caught a lot of people's attention," Olson says. Many
of those who were attracted were transfer students. "They've been in
school at least a year already. They're more economically savvy and they
know what's out there," he explained.
Although some institutions across the country have made similar changes
in their structure to help turn around worsening financial situations,
Olson says "We are the only one operating out of institutional strength."
Olson added that the number of students from families in the Covenant
has increased. The number of clergy dependents also has risen.
Olson also said that the number of returning students promises to be up
significantly, which he said was an indication of satisfaction with the
education students are receiving. This year, approximately 1,000
students are returning compared to 928 last year.
In addition to the new financial structure, earlier recruitment of
students also has contributed to the increase in students, Olson says.
Recruitment began July 1 last year as opposed to August 1 the year
before. Previous to that, efforts had begun in September.
Intensive recruitment is expected to begin in the spring next year,
Olson says. "You have to give them enough information early," he
explains. "By September 1, they have a short list. If you're not on that
short list, you lose."
Students are beginning to think about college plans much earlier than in
previous years. Students as young as those in eighth grade already are
beginning to consider where they are going to attend, Olson says.
"The administration staff did a great job," Olson says, adding that
complaints were down dramatically over several years past. "The feedback
we got from parents was outstanding."
Key to the "significant process" in improving customer relations was the
creation of a customer service center where parents and prospective
students could get their questions answered from one person rather than
shuffling them through different departments, Olson says. "It's one-stop
shopping."
The continued beautification of the campus was a factor in attracting
some students, Olson adds. "There were students who wrote on their
(application) essays that they wanted to study at this beautiful campus
in the city. It wasn't everyone, but there were some."
North Park Theological Seminary also has experienced strong enrollment.
Ninety-one students in degree and certificate programs have enrolled
this year, according to Jay Phelan, president and dean. Included in
those numbers are the 20 participants in the Center for Spiritual
Direction.
Centro Hispano de Estudios Teologicos (CHET) also boast healthy
enrollment figures with 100 new and 250 returning students, says
President Jorge Maldonado.
The school is starting a new program in bilingual community
transformation and compassion ministries, Maldonado says. The coursework
at the school, which generally serves pastors serving in Hispanic
contexts, is being taught in English because the students often will
have to do fundraising in English.
Maldonado says the program will focus on topics such as how to motivate
a church, organize a board, survey community needs and develop
self-sustaining programs. He expects 15 to 20 students to participate
the first year.
"We have been dreaming and planning for this for years," Maldonado says.
Keith Hamilton, president of Alaska Christian College says 30 students
are starting classes at the school. The school will have a difficult
time awarding promised scholarships to the 18 new and 12 returning
students due to a lawsuit that seeks to bar the use of federal funds at
the institution.
The Madison, WI-based Freedom From Religion Foundation filed suit on
April 21 against the U.S. Department of Education, charging that
$431,000 scheduled grants to ACC were unconstitutional. The group argues
that funding violates the Constitution because ACC "promotes whole-life
discipleship, including teaching from the Bible and teaching about faith
in Christ."
The allocation comprised 34 percent of the college's budget, says
Hamilton. The college is operated by the Evangelical Covenant Church of
Alaska.
Other Covenant institutions have begun this week or are scheduled to
start classes within the next two weeks:
- Covenant Bible College (CBC) in Ecuador started classes Monday with
an enrollment of 36.
- CBC Canada begins September 5 with an enrollment of 58.
- CBC Colorado classes resume September 12 with 40 students.
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