For four straight years, the number of students at Virginia Commonwealth University shrank. The university contracted from about 31,000 students in 2018 to 28,000 in 2022. Most of the losses came in the College of Humanities and Sciences, which houses departments such as English and history.
But enrollment at VCU has bounced back. The university welcomed roughly 4,500 freshmen this fall, one of its largest classes in school history.
That gives VCU a grand total of roughly 29,200 students, up 2% from last year. VCU has maintained its enrollment — and projects to grow it — even though tuition has increased and some high school graduates have questioned the value of a college degree.
Matching degrees to careers, online classes and guaranteed admission are some of the factors to which Hernan Bucheli, VCU’s vice president for strategic enrollment, attributes VCU’s recent growth.
Universities are mindful of their student populations, because in the next 10 years the number of students graduating high school in the country will decrease, a phenomenon called the “enrollment cliff,” which could leave universities competing over a smaller pool of applicants. Tuition is a large portion of a university’s revenue, and fewer-than-expected students can put a strain on a college’s budget.
Here are some of the factors that might have contributed to VCU’s increased enrollment:
VCU welcomed about 4,500 freshmen this fall, one of its largest classes ever.
Career focus: Like many colleges, VCU has worked to make sure its degrees prepare students for in-demand careers. College students are increasingly choosing majors that directly translate to jobs.
A Bachelor of Science in health services program brought 45 new students. The university added a minor in practical artificial intelligence and is planning a graduate program. One particular class, Ethics of AI, got so popular the university now offers it to members of the public.
The university has proposed other programs for emerging fields, including one for robotics and autonomous systems and a Master of Science in pharmaceutical engineering, as the building of medicines has become a growing industry in Virginia.
Online classes: VCU has more than doubled the number of students taking classes completely online since 2022 to about 1,900. These students are often working adults, students connected to the military or those who need a flexible schedule for some other reason, Bucheli said.
Guaranteed admission: In 2023, VCU rolled out a program that guarantees admission to high schoolers with a 3.5 grade-point average or higher. This year, the number of students with a 3.5 GPA grew by 5%.
Community college: VCU started a program called Next Step VCU, in which students receive dual admission to VCU and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. Students receive advising from VCU and are encouraged to join the university community while attending classes at Reynolds. This year, VCU got its largest class of transfers in four years, about 1,600 students. But fewer students are attending community college in Virginia, a traditional pipeline for VCU.
RPS: VCU has worked harder to get students from Richmond Public Schools. A program called Richmond Talent Pathways initiatives offers scholarships to RPS graduates interested in STEM, education and public service careers. The number of RPS graduates at VCU increased from about 90 in 2021 to almost 150 this year.
Safety: The university has made an effort to improve public safety around campus and the perception of safety. After two students were hit by cars and killed in separate incidents in 2023, university police ratcheted up their response to speeding drivers.
Sealing the deal: Some students say they will come to VCU then change their mind over the summer. To help convince students to stick with their commitment, the university has enhanced the summer orientation process and streamlined a student’s summer checklist.
VCU has worked to make campus safer and improve the perception of safety.
In the fall of 2020, as the pandemic roared on, classes were held online, and freshmen enrollment fell 14%. At one point, VCU was the only large university in the state not growing. Generally, large public colleges in Virginia have done a better job attracting students than small ones since the pandemic. VCU has attracted more applications, and the university’s acceptance rate is higher than 90%.
By 2023, VCU had turned the ship. It welcomed 4,600 students, tying the 2018 fall semester for the largest freshman class in school history. This year’s figure of 4,500 students is considered an estimate — official numbers are tallied several weeks into the semester after some students have dropped out.
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With the university growing again, VCU at times has needed an off-campus hotel to serve as an on-campus residential hall. This semester, the university was able to accommodate all freshmen students who sought a residence hall. One dorm, Johnson Hall, has been out of commission since 2021 because of elevated levels of mold.
Living off campus has become increasingly more expensive, and VCU says on-campus students are more likely to succeed academically. Now the university is planning a 1,000-bed housing complex in the 700 block of West Grace Street to expand its housing options.
Administrators expect the recent trend of growth to continue. In the university’s six-year plan, VCU stated it expects the number of students to increase to 32,000 by 2028. To do that, VCU says it needs to double its percentage of out-of-state students to 20% and attract more international applicants.
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