AURORA | The Community College of Aurora has recorded the highest enrollment in its history, with more than 9,500 students signed up for the 2025 fall semester, school officials said Monday.
The figure is about 1,000 higher than last fall’s enrollment, and administrators expect the number to continue rising because students can register for certain classes until late October.
College leaders said much of the growth is being driven by popularity of online courses and concurrent enrollment programs, which allow high school students to earn college credit before graduation.
CCA President Mordecai Ian Brownlee said the surge reflects efforts to make college more accessible through new programs, expanded facilities and increased student support.
“These efforts demonstrate that when we remove barriers and create clear, affordable, and high-quality pathways, students will respond,” Brownlee said in a statement. “Breaking our all-time enrollment record this fall is both a humbling and energizing milestone for our college.”
Recent initiatives include the opening of the Centennial Campus for Healthcare and First Responders, the new Center for Applied Science and Technology, and the launch of degree programs in nursing and behavioral health.
The college has also expanded supports such as crisis grants and transit assistance.
The growth follows CCA’s 2022 decision to create its Division of Enrollment Success and Completion, which works with area cities and community programs to boost access for all potential students.
Clair Collins, vice president of the division, said those partnerships build trust that translates into more students.
“We make sure that those are high quality programs so that we are building trust and engagement,” Collins said in a statement. “When you’re a community college, your enrollment is predicated on trust in the community.”
Financial aid has also expanded inside the school’s budget, with students receiving about $1,800 more on average this year compared to 2023, according to the college.
Using the phrase “Aurora Community College” in your headline suggests that it can be referred to as ACC. The problem is that ACC refers to Arapahoe Community College. Your story details enrollment gains at the Community College of Aurora (CCA). Keeping that distinction clear benefits not only the college but its community and your newspaper.