ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For the fourth straight year, enrollment is up at Monroe Community College, bucking a national trend of shrinking student bodies.

According to MCC, more than 8,500 full-time and part-time students are enrolled for the fall semester. Christine Casalinuovo-Adams of MCC Enrollment Management believes it’s due to the college’s approachable academics for students with a variety of academic history.

“I think that we still see a continuing number of students just coming here and trying college for the first time, and they’re unsure of what their major is. So they’re trying a variety of classes,” Casalinuovo-Adams said. “We have an increase of students taking part-time courses, so we have adults in our community returning to the college, trying courses for the first time or coming back to college after taking some time off.”

She also adds it’s due to MCC’s ability to let students choose their next career step easily.

“So 70% of our students are transferring on to four-year schools. So we still attract many students that are looking for that opportunity,” Casalinuovo-Adams said. “But MCC is also known for our great programs that students can enroll in and seek a job and seek employment immediately after graduation. And you can either do a certificate program. We have micro credentials that are short number of courses that you can come in and have a set of skills to become immediately employable or you can earn that degree.”

MCC leaders say exact numbers for enrollment will be available later in the year, as students are still getting registered and signing up late for classes in September.

A.I. assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News 10 uses A.I.