Spike in Enrollment

According to Admissions, there has been a spike in enrollment at Norwalk Community College. 

One of the main reasons why students start here is because it is a lot cheaper to attend a community college than a four-year school.  Students also come here because there is a higher chance of receiving enough Financial Aid that will cover tuition.  Because tuition is low, students who apply for and are eligible for aid, jump on the opportunity. 

Kenyon Cannon, a student majoring in Physical Therapy Assistant, says “I came here to NCC because the tuition was low and NCC had the program that I wanted to study.  Schools from where I live (Stamford) do not offer a Physical Therapy Assistant program.” 

According to Dean Baer “a student, who does their first two years of study here at NCC, can save up to $80,000 on their overall undergraduate career; they are saving a lot of money.”  A lot of students also like the option to pay in installments called a tuition payment plan, if they cannot afford to pay a lump sum at once.  Students who are enrolled in 12 or more credits need to request a payment plan and one will be granted. 

Admissions adds that another main factor is the fact that Norwalk is close to major highways like I-95 and the Merritt Parkway, so they are close to home.  Students can save on food and gas by going to a school that is close to home.  There is no on-campus housing available at NCC so many students live with their parents.  If they do not live with their parents, they live by themselves or with a roommate. 

Baer notes that NCC has become a very diverse college.  All types of people are coming here as a student, so there is no set demographic because we embrace everyone with open arms and make them feel like they are a part of the school. 

The records office reported that in 2009, more than 700 students graduated and more than 25 percent of that class went to high school outside the United States.  International students have a great opportunity to become a student here at Norwalk Community College in partly because of the Dream Act.  Baer reveals that the Dream Act allows international students the ability to study in the United States if they have completed four years of high school in the United States.

Professor Susan Montez of the English department believes that “students should start at a community college.”  With the rise in tuition at colleges and universities, it is harder for college students to pay for their way in school. 

Author Robin Wilson mentions in her essay “A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely,” students are often pulled into taking out student loans because they simply cannot afford the tuition at the institution they are attending.  This is why a lot of students first attend community colleges because it is more affordable than a state university.


Baer implies that more people are coming back to college after they had careers or started families.  NCC gives students who are single mothers and veterans the opportunity to return to school and get a degree of their choice.  With flexible class schedules, single mothers, people who work and veterans can have a class Monday through Friday at various times of the day.  If someone wants to take all night classes they can.  If someone works long hours during the week, offers Saturday classes as well.  Online classes are also available which helps a lot of people who work during the day or have family members to take care of.

Baer states that the college has many upcoming plans.  He emphasizes that Norwalk Community College needs to keep their students here and not transfer to another college before they have received an associate’s degree. 

Baer reveals that the graduation rate is low at 10 percent.  He believes the reason is because students here want to jump to the university level right away. 

He encourages students to complete their associate’s degree and then transfer to another college. 

“By having an associate’s degree, a student has a foundation if they want to end their schooling.  Today an employer looks for degrees on the employee’s resume, it doesn’t matter where a student starts or even where they end, as long as they need to have a degree in their name,” he adds, “it’s better to have a foundation then not having one at all.”

In addition to keeping the current students here, Baer says that the school is working more with local high schools to prepare their students for college.  More college level classes are being offered at the high school level and high schools are teaching students how to affectively study better and plan what they want to do with their careers.