Vanguard hits record enrollment

Marisa O’Neil

Vanguard University saw record enrollment this semester, forcing the

school to use a waiting list for the first time in its 84-year

history.

Enrollment increased 7% this year, with 2,051 students at the

school, said Jessica Mireles, associate vice president of enrollment

management.

Mireles said that part of the success has come from problems

associated with budget cuts at other schools.

“A lot of it is the market,” Mireles said. “A lot of community

colleges and state colleges are not even accepting students. We’re

another option for them.”

The private Christian college offers 30 different majors for

undergraduates and four graduate programs, as well as classes for

working adults. It was founded in Pasadena in 1920 as Southern California College and moved to Costa Mesa in 1950.

Mireles said that a high retention rates for students have also

helped boost numbers. Overall, the schools has had a 3% increase in

returning students and 6% for returning freshmen.

Figures for the Cal State system are not yet available for this

year, but spokeswoman Clara Potes-Fellow said first-time freshman

enrollment generally fluctuates 2% in the system, at about 77% to 79%

retention.

Vanguard also has more than 1,300 students living in campus

housing, in dorms or nearby apartments. About 25% of students are

from out of state and heard of the school through their churches,

high schools or athletic recruiters, Mireles said.

“I was looking for a college in Southern California,” 18-year-old

freshman Jesse Dennis of Walker, Minn. said. “I looked at Biola and

Vanguard, and I found that the people here were really friendly, and

I liked the location. And it’s not as expensive as other private

Christian colleges.”

Vanguard’s tuition is about $16,000 a year, with another $5,600

for room and board. Comparatively, Orange Coast College costs $18 a

unit, and Cal State schools cost about $2,500 a year, with another

$7,500 for room and board in on-campus housing.

Mireles said that Vanguard’s small size helps attract students who

can usually graduate with a bachelor’s degree in four years, as

opposed to five or six at a state college. About 90 percent of

Vanguard students receive some sort of financial aid.

“If you calculate the lost income and the extended time in school,

sometimes it’s a wise investment,” she said.

The school is undergoing expansion, with the Heath Academic Center

for Religion and Business scheduled to open next fall and more

scheduled after its completion.

Next year’s expansion will focus on courting more working adults

and master’s students and will add about eight classrooms.