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Central College is preparing to welcome over 400 first-year and transfer students to campus this weekend, which is another strong enrollment number for the college. However, the situation didn’t always look so promising. Carol Williamson, Vice President of Enrollment at Central, says in mid-May, confirmed registrations were lower than the school had hoped for.

“We were quite nervous in spring of this year, and about mid-May the number didn’t look as healthy as it does today, and I think a lot of that has to do with the residual effects of the economy, as other businesses are feeling as well.”

Williamson said the situation was a common one for nearly every college throughout the Midwest.

“I think not just Central, but colleges across the country and the Midwest were seeing the same sort of behavior patterns from students this spring, and many colleges were in our same situation,” said Williamson. “Usually colleges are talking about ‘Oh, we’re done,’ or ‘We have our numbers,’ and nobody was really at that point in mid-May this year.”

Last year, 443 students were enrolled for the fall semester at Central College, which was the third largest enrollment ever. Classes at Central will start next Wednesday.