Austin Community College (ACC) welcomes new and returning Riverbats to the fall 2022 semester and the start of a very special year for ACC. Classes started Monday, August 22, 2022.
ACC increases enrollments of new students
There are more new faces on ACC campuses this semester. Preliminary data show a significant increase in new student enrollments at the college.
According to registration reports, fall enrollments at ACC show new student enrollment is up 5% compared to fall 2021 –– this includes enrollment among traditional and high school students. The college is seeing a dip in returning student enrollment.
“Like many other colleges across the nation, persistence among our returning students is down. There are several reasons for the drop. Some students are completing their programs and getting jobs faster. Most who aren’t persisting, however, say it’s from the continued impacts of COVID-19,” says Dr. Jenna Cullinane Hege, ACC vice chancellor of Research & Analytics.
Non-traditional programs growing but constrained
Data show more students are seeking non-traditional college pathways. ACC’s rapid training programs, like the college’s Fast Track Career programs, are among the fastest-growing. These programs can earn someone an in-demand workforce credential in as little as 8-weeks.
Other areas of growth are in high-demand career fields in the region, such as Business, Skilled Trades, IT, and Arts & Digital Media. But, growth in some other key areas is limited due to capacity constraints.
ACC’s new facilities at the Highland Campus are helping.
- Programs in the Creative Arts Center are seeing big enrollment gains: Music is up 31%, Music Business, Performance & Technology is up 24%, and Radio-Television-Film is up 9%.
- Culinary Arts and Hospitality are showing increases in enrollment as the service industry recovers in Central Texas.
- Manufacturing and Engineering Technology, which have classes at the new IMPACT Lab and Manufacturing Academy, are up 9%.
Short semester courses still enrolling
Registration remains open for students who need more time to enroll or want a faster learning experience. ACC offers 14-, 12-, and 8-week options to give students who are still working through the application and registration process more time to finish their steps and begin class on time. For more information, visit austincc.edu/shortsemester.
A special year for ACC
ACC was voted into existence by Austin ISD residents in December 1972, and the first classes started in the fall of 1973. The college will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and next. Stay tuned to learn how.