College enrollment is down nationally during COVID, but the same can’t be said for the fall 2020 semester at the University System of Georgia.
Enrollment increased at 16 of the system’s 26 institutions, reaching an all-time high of 341,485 students, which is a 2.4% increase over fall 2019.
Enrollment grew 2.8% at Georgia’s research universities, 6.2% at comprehensive universities, and 2.3% at state universities, but dropped 7% at its state colleges.
Enrollment for Hispanic and Asian students rose by 7.2%, while African American enrollment increased by 3.9%.
More from UB: College enrollment numbers show further declines
Kennesaw State University’s record enrollment—which grew by 9%—this fall made it Georgia’s second-largest university.
That growth was driven by 8,300 first-year students, giving KSU the largest freshman class in the state.
More than 14,000 students—nearly 38% of the university’s undergraduate enrollment—identify as first-generation.
Georgia Southwestern State University was also among the top 5 institutions for growth, reaching a record enrollment of 3,162 students in fall 2020—a 7.2% increase over last year.
Administrators attributed the growth to an aggressive recruitment strategy, expansion of scholarships and student success initiatives.
More from UB: Why Biden’s ed agenda prioritizes community colleges
