Summer enrollment nears 10,000

by Joe King

Those who think of the NIU campus as a quiet place in the summer might want to think again.

A weak summer job market and fewer internship opportunities for students, combined with greater competition for classes during the regular school year, are nudging summer school enrollment higher.

According to Director of Admissions Bob Burk, summer school enrollment is about 350 students ahead of this same time last year, putting NIU on track for a summer enrollment of about 9,800 students – undergraduate, graduate and law school. The top three colleges for summer enrollment are Education (2,499), LA&S (2,495) and Business (1,390).

“The numbers are still very fluid, due to the economy, budget cuts and course availability,” Burk cautioned. “However, our Web registration makes registration very easy to do, and if summer jobs continue to be hard to come by, we could see a late rush.”

This year’s upsurge follows a jump of about 400 students last year. Those substantial increases indicate just how popular – and/or necessary – summer school has become for some students, Burk said.

“I know that a lot of college presidents were looking at cutting summer classes – but we didn’t want to do that. It’s a matter of service to our students,” Burk said. “With the job market and internship market so tight, at least our students can continue on with their education.”

Provost Ivan Legg said he is not surprised at the rise in summer school enrollment, adding he expects the trend to continue.

“As the budget restrictions become more severe, summer school will become increasingly important,” Legg said. “We may be more limited in what we can provide during the school year, and subsequently students may have to rely more upon summer school in order to complete their degree in a timely manner.”

Furthermore, Legg said he expects NIU will continue to offer an attractive opportunity for students, whether they enroll in the fall or summer.

“NIU is becoming more recognized as a quality education option. The increased enrollment during the regular school year and the summer reflect that – this is a place where you can get a good education.”

6-9-03