Blinn College’s increasingly popular Winter minimester once again shattered enrollment records to kick off 2015.

A record 1,524 students capitalized on the opportunity to earn quick college credit over the holidays, a 12.0 percent increase over last year’s enrollment, which had also set new marks. Blinn also set a new benchmark with 72,896 contact hours, a 27.0 percent increase over last year. State funding is determined by contact hours, the amount of time students spend with their instructors.

The enrollment increase was fueled by Blinn’s Distance Learning offerings, which allow students to conveniently take courses online, even while traveling during the holiday season. Distance Learning saw a 30.2 percent enrollment and a 63.9 percent contact hour increase as 1,225 students elected to take their minimester courses online.

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“Students whose families enjoy traveling during the holidays love our online learning options because they don’t have to be on campus and they don’t even have to be at their homes,” said Dr. Mark Workman, dean of Distance Learning. “As long as they have access to the internet they can study and complete their coursework on the go.”

Blinn enrolled a school-record 19,317 students last Fall and has experienced 37.5 percent growth since 2006.

Students taking 30 credit hours at Blinn in 2014-15 will save approximately $4,000 in tuition compared to the average Texas public university (48.8 percent), and Blinn offers more than 220 endowed scholarships.

The College’s academic transfer rate regularly ranks among the highest in the state and nation and is approximately 20 percent higher than the state average. The Texas A&M Blinn TEAM (Transfer Enrollment at A&M) Program allows selected applicants to Texas A&M University’s freshman class a unique co-enrollment opportunity with the opportunity to earn full Texas A&M admission. The first of its kind between a major university and a community college, the initiative received the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Recognition of Excellence in 2013 and its Star Award in 2014. This Fall, 1,091 students enrolled in the TEAM Program.

Registration is currently open for Blinn’s Spring semester through Jan. 19, with classes beginning Jan. 20. For enrollment information and to learn about financial aid opportunities, visit: www.blinn.edu.