Recent enrollment successes cannot be attributed to one single factor. The Education Data Initiative (EDI) at EducationData.org reports that health-related majors are becoming more popular in higher education, many students are enrolling in online programs, and young learners are taking advantage of dual-enrollment programs, which allow high schoolers to take college courses. Retention is also considered the most effective enrollment strategy. Colleges encourage students to return rather than focusing on boosting their overall numbers by recruiting a large freshman class.
Penn West California’s offices of Institutional Research (IR) and Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) continually collect and analyze enrollment and student demographic data to track evolving trends.
“Our online programs continue to grow steadily and remain especially attractive to non-traditional, place-bound students who are unable to commute to campus. Dual enrollment is another area of rapid expansion, with an increasing number of high school students choosing to take PennWest classes,” said Becky McMillen, Executive Director, Penn West California Institutional Effectiveness, Institutional Research.
Penn West saw substantial growth in Fall 2025. Enrollment highlights include an 8% increase in Global Online and an astounding 270% increase in dually enrolled high school students.
“These results reflect the most stable enrollment numbers PennWest has seen in more than a decade and demonstrate progress toward long-term sustainability,” McMillen said.
The ominous-sounding “demographic cliff” is a phrase coined simply to refer to the fact that in 2007, around the end of the Great Recession, Americans started having fewer babies. Fewer babies born in 2007 means fewer 18-year-olds today, and fewer 18-year-olds could mean lower college enrollment numbers.
“At PennWest, we are addressing this by emphasizing the value of our degrees, strengthening connections with local schools, and expanding dual enrollment so students can experience PennWest early. While we have seen some declines at PennWest California, our first-year numbers have remained stable in the last two years. We are also focused on supporting retention and graduation, making this a university-wide effort,” said McMillen.
There is good news in EDI’s research. An encouraging 39% of American 18- to 24-year-olds are enrolled in college or graduate school.
Mike Conley, a 2000 Cal U graduate currently residing in the Pittsburgh area, toured the California campus in early Oct. 2025 with interest in enrolling his daughter.
“As a Cal U alumnus, I know the school provides a great education. I currently employ Penn West graduates,” Conley said. “My nephew lives on campus now; we appreciate the safe environment.”
College is not always the next step after high school graduation for everyone. Some join the military, go to work, or take time off to travel before pursuing higher education.
Philomena Gill, Penn West Executive Director of Nontraditional Student Support, says that many adults hesitate to enroll because of concerns about cost, time commitment, career relevance, or self-confidence.
“PennWest made a significant advancement in Spring 2025 by establishing the Adult Student Services Office,” Gill said. “I am here to help them (adult students) work through these uncertainties and provide clear guidance so they can make an informed decision.”
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) reports that Penn West leads in adult student enrollment with 3,988 adult students. At PennWest, adult learners range in age from 25 to 80, with an average age of 34. The most popular programs among this group include Education, Social Work, Library Science, Counseling, and Nursing. Additionally, the vast majority of Penn West’s adult students are enrolled online.
Students of all ages with family obligations, financial considerations, health concerns, or work responsibilities often commute to college instead of living on campus or renting a place nearby.
At PennWest California, 51.7% of students live in off-campus housing, meaning they reside outside of campus residence halls or Vulcan Village apartments.
While commuter students tend to save money, they might feel like they are missing out on opportunities available to resident students. However, there are many ways for commuter students to engage in campus life.
Kendall Griffin is a sophomore Digital Media Technology major and the Public Relations officer for the California Commuter Council. The council represents commuter students and works to expand services and opportunities for commuter students. Cal Commuters hosts weekly events and also maintains Commuter Pods locations across campus.
“I definitely feel supported and valued as a commuter student,” said Griffin, “and I feel connected to campus life, especially having common hour to take a break and be social.”
During Common Hour, there are no undergraduate classes scheduled, so students can manage their health and personal needs.
Although Penn West saw a decrease in the total number of enrolled students in Fall 2025, the data shows growth in key areas.
Institutions of higher education, including Penn West, continue to find innovative ways to draw students of all ages and crack the enrollment code.
