NCTA enrollment continues climb

NCTA enrollment continues climb

NCTA began fall classes August 21 with 129 new students, 103 freshmen and 26 transfer students. Enrollment for full-time, part-time and transfer students on campus is 255, up 4 percent. (R. Bauman/NCTA Photo)
NCTA began fall classes August 21 with 129 new students, 103 freshmen and 26 transfer students. Enrollment for full-time, part-time and transfer students on campus is 255, up 4 percent. (R. Bauman/NCTA Photo)

Sept. 6, 2017

By Mary Crawford, NCTA News                                                                                 

CURTIS, Neb. – Fulltime student enrollment at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis has increased for a fourth consecutive year.

NCTA Aggies completed their second week of classes Sept. 1 with 255 fulltime on-campus students, a 4 percent increase from 245 enrolled for the fall semester, 2016.

“We are pleased to see continued, solid growth in our full-time, on-campus student numbers at NCTA,” said Ron Rosati, NCTA dean. “This semester’s student population growth includes a 48 percent increase in out-of-state students attending NCTA full-time, plus a 44 percent increase in full-time transfer students. NCTA made a strategic decision to refocus its high school course offerings which resulted in a decrease in high school students taking a course or two from NCTA.”

Total individuals enrolled in at least one course is 317, with 255 full time, 10 part time, and 52 dual credit (high school) students.

“For the fourth consecutive year, a growing number of students have identified NCTA as their college of choice,” Rosati said. “Students are making this selection due to the high quality of NCTA’s nationally ranked academic programs, the success of our graduates, the college’s affordability, and the opportunity to be part of a fun campus focusing on hands-on learning.”

NCTA has reduced its high school general education course offerings again this year, Rosati noted, accounting for an enrollment decrease from 77 part-time high school students in 2016 to 52. Including this dual credit decrease, overall campus enrollment declined 7.3 percent.

Enrollment by academic division is:  Agribusiness Management - 18; Agricultural Production Systems - 137; Veterinary Technology – 110; and 52 dual credit.

NCTA has a unique focus on encouraging student involvement in opportunities both in and out of the classroom. Aggie students engaged in academic enrichment experiences gain interpersonal and career skills in activities such as intercollegiate academic competitions, livestock judging, crops judging, stock dog contests,  rodeo, ranch horse events, and shotgun sports.

The two-year institution provides associate of science or associate of applied science degrees, in addition to certificates, in courses taught by 14 fulltime faculty and four adjunct instructors.

NCTA has received national recognition during the past two years, most recently by Forbes magazine as a Top 30 Trade School in the U.S. and Zippia.com as Nebraska’s top two-year college and number 7 nationally when evaluated for graduate career success.

Overall NU system enrollment is 52,678 students studying at NCTA in Curtis, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska at Kearney, University of Nebraska at Omaha, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, also located in Omaha.

Fall semester registrations throughout the University system are reported annually, based on six-day census figures.

For additional information about NCTA’s academic and campus programs, see ncta.unl.edu or call 1-800-3-CURTIS.

Download a PDF of this press release