Brock University campus. Photo: Brock University
Record enrolment numbers are being met at Brock University. The St. Catharines based post-secondary school said it received applications from over 19,000 full- and part-time students across its seven faculties last fall, reaching the highest number of applications to its first-year programs it has ever seen.
This year, the numbers are in, and indicators suggest that even more Ontario high school students are choosing to continue their studies at Brock. In fact, the increase in applicants to the university exceeds the average growth rate for Ontario universities.
According to the university, the number of students accepting their letters of admission after selecting Brock as their first choice is up by 14.5 per cent. Although the provincial average saw an increase of 3.1 per cent in first-year confirmations, Brock saw a 13 per cent increase in high school applicant confirmations and a 20 per cent increase overall from 2018.
The Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC), released data this week that shows Brock has over 3,500 high school applicants confirmed for first-year undergraduate studies this fall. Overall, over 4,400 students are looking to start their post-secondary studies for the first time in September.
Gervan Fearon, President of Brock University, said the growth the institution has seen is due to the awareness of what Brock and the Niagara Region has to offer.
“This steady growth in demand for admission to Brock is happening because more and more people — be it, students, their families or their guidance counsellors — are becoming aware that we are a national leader among universities our size and we are meeting the needs of students right here in the beautiful Niagara region,” Fearon said.
“Our academic excellence is being matched by growing research, scholarly and creative activities that support student education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” he added.
The most significant growth in applications include programs such as Concurrent Education and the Faculty of Mathematics and Science. Brock’s co-op education programs also continue to be in demand with an increase in admission confirmations.
Jamie Mandigo, Vice-Provost for Enrolment Management and International, said that students could rest assured that Brock will offer them a good education and skills for their careers.
“Whether students are from Ontario, across Canada or around the world, they know Brock University can offer them a safe, affordable and high-quality post-secondary education experience that provides them with career-ready skills,” Mandigo said.
The admissions process is currently ongoing, although some programs are full and limited spaces are open in others.
Brock attracts students from over 100 countries. Overall, international student confirmations are up by 62 per cent from last year. As more students reply to their offers, that number is expected to rise.
Elena De Luigi is a graduate of the Humber College Journalism program and a Niagara Independent reporter.
