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BSC enrollment up 2 percent, retention remains strong | Bismarck State College

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BSC enrollment up 2 percent, retention remains strong

Published: Sep 28 2015
Bismarck State College has again secured its place as the third largest college in the North Dakota University System with 4,078 students enrolled this fall - a 2 percent increase over last year.

Part-time enrollment rose 5 percent - a reflection of both the strong job market in North Dakota and the 27 percent increase in early entry/dual credit students. This fall, 528 high school students enrolled in classes through BSC that provide them with both high school and college credit.

"In general, we find that when unemployment is low and wages are strong, students will hold on to good paying jobs while pursuing education on a part time basis. When unemployment is high, that trend often reverses," says Dr. Drake Carter, BSC Provost and Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs.

North Dakotans make up 78 percent of the student population at BSC. Retention remains strong at BSC as well, with 66 percent of students retained from one year to the next, well above the national average of 56 percent.