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There are 184,544 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Connecticut universities and colleges, an increase of three percent since last year.  It's the seventh-consecutive year that the enrollment total has broken previous records.

State Higher Education Commissioner Michael Meotti says in the last decade, undergrad enrollment at community colleges has outpaced growth at the state university system and at the University of Connecticut.  He cites several factors that influence students to enroll in the state's twelve community colleges

"The affordability of community colleges, I think also an increased awareness of the quality of community colleges in Connecticut in part because of the physical investment we made in many campuses around the state. There may be some personal and cultural choices as a result of a much more diverse population. You may have more segments of the population looking to attend school locally, not interested in a residential dorm."

Meotti says traditionally, enrollment increases in a tough economy. He says what remains to be seen is how Connecticut institutions handle higher costs.

"Tuition only pays for a minority portion of the cost of providing the education. So when this all is going on in times of great economic turmoil in the state that negatively affects the state budget, it puts the college systems in a real resource squeeze. In fact there are some states around the country that just started to announce they may have to limit enrollment.  We're not saying that in Connecticut we hope not to get there but these are decisions that still have to play out in the next three to four months."

Meotti also points out the credit crunch may influence students next year to choose a more affordable school