Del Mar College’s spring enrollment increased by about 800 from the previous spring, according to preliminary, uncertified reports.
There are 11,328 students enrolled this semester. The spring 2020 enrollment is a 1.8% increase from the uncertified 11,250 students enrolled in spring 2019.
The spring 2019 official certified figure of 11,884 includes students who were enrolled in eight-week classes in fall 2018. This spring’s unofficial number does not include students who took eight-week classes in fall 2019. The official number for this semester, which will include those students, will be available March 1.
The spring 2020 enrollment is also drop from the 12,252 enrolled in fall 2019.
Patricia Benavides-Dominguez, dean of Student Outreach and Enrollment, said it’s typical to see a drop from fall to spring.
“A drop in enrollment from one semester to the next is always concerning,” Benavides-Dominguez said. “We are always looking at the data and exploring ways of what we can do to increase enrollment and retention.”
Sara King, the college’s coordinator of recruitment, said she works closely with College Relations to keep students coming back.
“We have a very active recruitment team,” King said. “We go out to community events and high schools and we promote the college to traditional and nontraditional populations.”
Del Mar’s Student Outreach and Enrollment department works directly with Student Engagement and Retention to retain students and keep them engaged.
“We have the Retention Alert Program,” said Danielle Neuman, retention case manager. “If a student is struggling, the professor can send us a referral and we reach out to the student to see what’s going on.”
Student Engagement and Retention meets with about 450-600 students each semester to encourage them to stay enrolled.
Students can contact the Student Engagement and Retention at 361-698-1948 for visit them in Room 208 of the Harvin Center for assistance.
