Colleges across the North Shore are seeing an uptick in enrollment numbers this fall for reasons as varied as the institutions themselves.
From the economy to student retention, administrators are pointing to myriad reasons for the increase.
Endicott College just finished construction on a new residence hall, allowing the private college to accommodate 260 more students on its Beverly campus.
Endicott and its Wenham neighbor, Gordon College, can both boast of a largest-ever freshmen class this fall.
Montserrat College of Art in Beverly has a 28 percent increase in new students, and it's the first time in the school's history it has had a waiting list.
The North Shore's two public institutions, Salem State University and North Shore Community College, are seeing more moderate increases in enrollment this year.
With all the "twists and turns" in the economy, students and parents are putting more thought into selecting a college, Montserrat President Stephen Immerman said.
At Montserrat, students visit campus two, three or four times as they build an application portfolio.
"It (the admissions process) mirrors the education on campus — quite transparent," Immerman said. "... I believe our admissions are about relationships, and that relationship is more important than ever. That's what we do here, it's a small community."
Retention rate — the percent of students who return for a second year — is also a key factor in enrollment. At Montserrat, retention is at an all-time high of 82 percent this year. At Endicott, retention is 87 percent.
Endicott's new dorm, ready as students move in this week, is part of a long-term plan to increase enrollment and alleviate housing conditions, such as freshman rooms with three students, said Tom Redman, vice president of admissions and financial aid.
Endicott's freshman class size has increased each year for 19 years. The new dorm, named Marblehead, will house 260 upperclassmen and includes private bathrooms in each room.
"We're very fortunate to be in the position we are, but it's something that has been planned for a number of years," Redman said. "We're housing 84 percent of our students (on campus) now. ... There has been more change at Endicott arguably than any other college in New England."
"This place is much more than buildings, it's people and programs," he said. "It's a special place, and special things are happening."
Dan Tymann, executive vice president and chief of staff at Gordon College, credited an overhaul of the Christian college's admissions process and a new science building for its biggest-ever freshman class.
After seeing a four-year decline in enrollment, Gordon tweaked marketing materials and outreach to be "high touch," Tymann said, including increasing the use of social media and faculty members' interaction with prospective students.
At the same time, Gordon became stricter on admissions requirements and increased the amount of merit financial aid it doled out.
"(We want to) make it clear that, 'yes, a private education is expensive, but there is a huge return in value for that,'" Tymann said. "We're the same quality institution we've been for many, many years. We're just more effective in communicating that to a greater number of people."
This week, North Shore Community College is registering 100 students per day, expecting an enrollment increase of less than 10 percent over last year.
"I can't say we're going to hit record enrollment. We continue to increase, but this year it's a more moderate pace than years past," said Donna Richemond, vice president for student and enrollment services. "Two years ago, things were a lot different (most community colleges saw a spike in enrollment as the economy turned sour). We're experiencing a leveling-off right now."
However, NSCC is seeing an increase in its retention rate, Richemond said, as well as an increase in part-time students and the number of students taking a combination of night and day classes.
At Salem State, preliminary enrollment numbers show an increase of 30 students from last year, bringing the total graduate and undergraduate enrollment to 10,050.
"We're absolutely full," said Karen Cady, Salem State spokeswoman. "It's a combination of things. A public institution has an affordability feature that you don't always get at a private institution. We've had more exposure in becoming a university (from a college). Also, word-of-mouth is the best advertising."
Staff writer Bethany Bray can be reached at bbray@salemnews.com and on Twitter @SalemNewsBB.
BY THE NUMBERS
Salem State University
Total enrollment: 10,050 undergraduate and graduate students
Increase from last year to this year: 30 students
Cost: $7,730 per year (in-state undergraduate day student), $13,970 (out-of-state, full-time tuition and fees); room and board starts at $4,800 per semester
North Shore Community College
Total enrollment: 7,985
New students: between 2,500 and 2,600 expected; last year was 2,529
Cost: $162 per credit, including tuition and fees; full-time course load of 12 credits is $1,944 per semester
Montserrat College of Art
Total students: 395
New students: 148 (last year 116)
Cost: $24,750
Endicott College
Total enrollment: 2,288 this year (2,082 last year)
New students: 716 this year (664 last year)
Cost: $39,990 per year, including tuition, room and board
Gordon College
Total enrollment: 1,485
New students: 525 (last year 407)
Cost: $39,000 per year for room, board and tuition
* Figures are preliminary; student numbers fluctuate through the first few weeks of classes
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