Student Portrait Fall Quarter 1996

Highlights

For the first time in five years, total headcount for Fall Quarter increased. The headcount for Fall Quarter 1995 was 33,920 and Fall Quarter 1996 has a headcount of 34,392 which represents a 1.4 percent increase.

Credit headcount of 29,698 declined slightly (-0.6 percent) from last Fall Quarter's credit headcount of 29,888. Non-credit headcount of 4,694 increased dramatically (16.4 percent) over the previous headcount of 4,032.

One-fourth of our students (8,810) are in the traditional college age category of 17-20 years of age. The forty plus age category (9,781) comprises 28 percent of the Fall Quarter 1996 population.

Minority students account for the increase in total headcount from Fall Quarter 1995 to Fall Quarter 1996, increasing by 476 students to a total of 6,363. Caucasian students decreased by 284 students to a total of 26,821. The total headcount increased by 472 students during the same time period.*

The average credit load that our students take has remained exactly the same for the past five years: the full-time students' average credit load is 15 credits, the part-time students' average credit load is 5 credits, and the total student population's average credit load is 8 credits.

Declared intents indicate 33 percent of our students are in the Occupational Area (A.A.S. Degree, Certificate, Upgrade Job Skills, and Explore Careers); 30 percent are in the Transfer Area (A.A. Degree, A.S. Degree, and Four-year Transfer Students With Undecided Major); 26 percent are here for Personal Enrichment; 9 percent are in the ESL/ABE/GED area (this category has increased 40 percent in the past five years which is the largest percentage increase in Declared Intents during that time period); and 2 percent of our students are Undecided.

* The number with "Unknown/Other" ethnicity, which was excluded from "minorities," increased by 280.

- This page based on December 1996 data -