ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Thousands of high school students in the Tampa Bay area will graduate in the coming days. Whether it’s going to college, taking a gap year, or another path for their next chapter, research is shedding light on recent enrollment trends.
On Monday, students walked across the stage at Tropicana Field to become official graduates of St. Pete’s Gibbs High School.
“I feel amazing. I’m done. I did it,” said graduate Alexandrea Walton.
The grads are dreaming big for their futures, too, with some indicating they want to become anything from small business owners to law enforcement detectives.
Aamiyah Maynor decided to take a less traditional route.
“I plan on going to the Navy,” said Maynor.
According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, community college enrollment is starting to grow in spring 2023. It said undergraduate enrollment as a whole remained steady this spring after two straight years of steep pandemic-related declines.
The Research Center said only the public four-year sector continued to face undergrad enrollment declines.
Listen to the Research Center's Doug Shapiro explain more on college enrollment trends below:
“I got college coming up,” said graduate De’Von Walton.
Cousins De’Von and Alexandrea Walton both have college plans. Alexandrea said she’s off to UNC-Charlotte.
“My grandma really wanted me to go to college and stuff, and I always wanted to,” said Alexandrea. “That’s a dream of mine to graduate and go to college. I’m just very grateful that I get to do that for her and for my family.”
The Research Center also said certificate programs saw increased enrollment at both undergrad and graduate levels.
No matter where life takes the grads next, families know for certain their futures are looking bright.
“I feel pretty achieved,” said Maynor. “It was a long road to get here, but I mean, I’m here, so I’m happy.”
To read more about college enrollment trends, visit the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center enrollment estimatesand community college enrollment.
