Number of spring credit students is highest since 2016
McHenry, MD – Garrett College recorded its highest total of spring semester credit students in nine years this semester, according to data released by the College’s Office of Records and Registration (ORR).
GC has 677 credit students this spring, an increase of eight percent, the highest since the College enrolled 693 students in spring 2016. This spring’s enrollment is the second-highest headcount in the last 12 years.
“We’re very pleased to see enrollment continuing to grow,” said Dr. Richard Midcap, Garrett College’s president. “With spring enrollment now finalized, we’ve seen credit enrollment growth for three consecutive fiscal years.”
Total spring credit hours taken by Garrett’s students increased 8.4 percent, rising from 5,650.50 in spring 2024 to 6,126.50 in spring 2025. That’s the highest total since spring 2020, when the College logged 6,190.75 spring credit hours.
The College’s headcount enrollment has grown 28.7 percent over the last four years, according to ORR data. GC’s spring credit hours increased 23 percent over the same four-year time period.
“Our student headcount is almost 12 percent higher than spring 2020, which was our last pre-COVID semester,” said Dr. Robert “JR” Kerns, GC’s dean of student affairs. “That’s really quite an achievement.”
Kerns said new academic programs, including sport management, and expansion of the College’s intercollegiate athletic program have both played roles in GC’s enrollment growth.
“We’ve been intentionally trying to expand opportunities that provide enrollment growth potential,” said Kerns, adding he expects the radiologic technology program that launches in June and the men’s soccer program that starts in August to further expand enrollment.
Ongoing increases in the number of High School Dual Enrollment (HSDE) students is helping to drive headcount increases, according to Dr. Kelli Sisler, GC’s director of institutional effectiveness.
“HSDE grew almost 15 percent from last spring to this spring,” said Sisler, noting that the Garrett College Scholarship Program continues to fund HSDE. “The five-year trend data is even more impressive – there has been an 85 percent increase in the number of HSDE participants this spring compared to spring 2020.”
Professor Christa Bowser, GC’s chief academic officer, said implementation of The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future by Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) and Garrett College has played a key role in expanding HSDE.
“The Blueprint emphasizes public schools and colleges working collaboratively to offer high school students a dual enrollment option, which GCPS and the College have worked extensively to provide,” said Bowser. “GCPS and the College already had a close working relationship, but the Blueprint sparked an even higher level of collaboration.”
GC’s part-time student population hit an all-time high this spring with 369 part-time students, which Bowser said is largely due to the increase in HSDE.
