Costa Mesa : OCC Is Enrollment King of Community Colleges

Orange Coast College has the highest enrollment of any single-campus community college in the nation, according to a report released last month by the American Assn. of Community and Junior Colleges.

Enrollment at the Costa Mesa college last fall was 26,419. Seven of the 10 largest community colleges are in California, but Orange Coast was the only Orange County college that made the list. The ranking does not distinguish between full-time and part-time students.

College spokesman Jim Carnett said the news “took us a little bit by surprise.”

The college lost enrollment in the early 1980s, after the opening of Coastline College, and has slowly gained students since, he said.

Orange Coast students include some right out of high school who may pursue an associate degree before joining the work force or continuing their educations at 4-year colleges, plus returning students who may have an undergraduate degree but seek additional training in evening courses. The average student age is 28.

JC ENROLLMENT Largest enrollment for single-campus colleges Fall, 1988:

College Students 1. Orange Coast 26,419 2. El Camino 26,114 3. CC San Francisco 25,657 4. DeAnza (Cupertino) 25,186 5. San Diego Mesa 23,972 6. Long Beach City 22,900 7. San Antonio (Tex.) 22,463 8. Santa Rosa JC 21,922 9. Mt. San Antonio 21,528 10. Lansing (Mich.) 21,474

Source: American Assn. of Community and Junior Colleges