Enrollment at nearby Oakton Community College increased by 2 percent this year, a trend community colleges are experiencing nationwide.

Community colleges face swollen enrollments as the presence of students below the age of 25 has increased 12 percent since 1990, and administrators say the number will increase another 21 percent by the year 2010, according to figures gathered by the National Center for Education Statistics .

Michelle Brown, director of admission and enrollment management at Oakton Community College in Skokie, said the school’s 2 percent enrollment increase this year could be a result of Sept. 11 and the poor economy.

“I think people want to stay closer to home after Sept. 11,” Brown said. “Community colleges offer a strong education but the chance to stay with the family and also to work.”

Jerry Davis, vice president for research for the Lumina Foundation for Education, an educational research firm, attributed high enrollment to the slow economy.

“A common phenomenon we observe is that enrollment increases when unemployment increases,” Davis said. “If you can work, it becomes too expensive to go to school, but if you don’t have a job then going to school is your best option because it improves your chances of being employed.”

Enrollment at the College of DuPage rose higher this year than any other year in the Illinois school’s history said Harlan Schweer, director of research and planning for the school.

In the past five years, enrollment at the school has increased by 2,000 people and currently stands at about 30,000, Schweer said. Some administrators of this state-funded school, located in a western suburb of Chicago, fear a lack of student housing — a worry that may manifest itself in capping enrollment.

Many people attend community college to make themselves more attractive to employers.

Attending one of the eight community colleges in Cook County can earn students $345,000 more in a lifetime than entering the workforce straight out of high school, according to a study released this September by Illinois community college officials. For every dollar put into school, each student will receive $6.72 in higher future earnings, the study reported.

Kyle Nessel, 18, decided to attend the College of DuPage instead of the University of Illinois because of the community college’s less expensive tuition. Many students opt to attend community colleges for two years before they transfer to a four-year institution.

“It was cheaper,” Nessel said. “DuPage is as good a school and I figured it was worth it to me to stay home, earn money and get an equally good education. In the end I’ll graduate with the same degree, so why not save two years worth of college tuition? It just makes sense to me.”

Although excited by the amount of students attending community college, Brown said she shares a concern with other administrators about lack of space and resources for new students.

Federal tax cuts lessen the amount of money given to states, indirectly limiting the portion allotted to education.

“Luckily (Oakton has) internal money to pay for grant cuts,” Brown said. “But when that money runs out we’ll have to cut programs and special services. Some colleges can’t afford that, though, and will just have to cap enrollment due to lack of funding.”

Foundations, such as Lumina, aim to prevent money shortages by giving grants and funding to struggling schools.

“Our main goal is to educate more people,” Davis said. “A better educated society improves the overall situation of the United States. We are excited by increased enrollment because it only means good things for the country.”

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Community colleges seeing enrollment hike

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Poor economy, family ties lead many to look at Illinois’ two-year institutions

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“In the end I’ll graduate with the same degree, so why not save two years worth of college tuition? It just makes sense to me.”

Kyle Nessel,

College of DuPage student