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The Baptist Bible Tribune just put out a special issue featuring the history of Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. I looked through it for current enrollment figures but there was no mention of that. The article stated that in 1960 the enrollment was 618 with a graduating class of 146, which, for a 4-year college, indicates a strong retention rate. In 1969 the enrollment increased to 1,570 with a graduating class of 265, indicating a reduced retention rate of students, for reasons not given. It was stated that "by the end of the 1990s, BBC had seen student enrollment increase back to nearly 1000." It was stated that "Facing unprecedented challenges in Christian higher education, including accreditation, enrollment, finances, facilities, etc., [President Mark] Milioni took the helm [in 2012] and his leadership at BBC has been stellar. Confronting these and other challenges, the college has emerged stronger and facing a bright future."
I was still wondering what is the current enrollment, so I googled for it and a site came up stating the BBC enrollment as of 2018 was 256. I checked the Wikipedia site and they say current BBC enrollment consists of 201 undergraduates and 23 postgraduates, for a total of 224. Wikipedia states that "Following a decline from its peak enrollment of over 2,600 in the 1970s, Baptist Bible College has continued to see increased enrollment since 2013. In 2016 the school was placed on probation by its regional accreditor and has seen a decrease in enrollment. That probation was lifted in the spring of 2019." If these figures (2,600 peak, 224 current) are accurate, this indicates a decline in enrollment of more than 91% from the peak.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration is proposing to provide 2 years of free college education at community colleges. I personally do not support such legislation, but if it is enacted, it seems that this would make it even harder than it is already to steer young people into attending IFB Bible colleges where they have to work themselves ragged on minimum wage jobs to pay their way through, and earn a degree with limited value in the job market, as opposed to going to their local community college for free, earning an accredited degree and learning a lucrative trade. Maybe it would not be so bad if young IFB people did that - attend their local community college, live at home, stay in their home church and they can still get experience in doing door-to-door soulwinning and running a bus route, only they would be doing it for their own church rather than for a church in far-distant Springfield, Hammond or Santa Clara (and not have to pay for the privilege).
I was still wondering what is the current enrollment, so I googled for it and a site came up stating the BBC enrollment as of 2018 was 256. I checked the Wikipedia site and they say current BBC enrollment consists of 201 undergraduates and 23 postgraduates, for a total of 224. Wikipedia states that "Following a decline from its peak enrollment of over 2,600 in the 1970s, Baptist Bible College has continued to see increased enrollment since 2013. In 2016 the school was placed on probation by its regional accreditor and has seen a decrease in enrollment. That probation was lifted in the spring of 2019." If these figures (2,600 peak, 224 current) are accurate, this indicates a decline in enrollment of more than 91% from the peak.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration is proposing to provide 2 years of free college education at community colleges. I personally do not support such legislation, but if it is enacted, it seems that this would make it even harder than it is already to steer young people into attending IFB Bible colleges where they have to work themselves ragged on minimum wage jobs to pay their way through, and earn a degree with limited value in the job market, as opposed to going to their local community college for free, earning an accredited degree and learning a lucrative trade. Maybe it would not be so bad if young IFB people did that - attend their local community college, live at home, stay in their home church and they can still get experience in doing door-to-door soulwinning and running a bus route, only they would be doing it for their own church rather than for a church in far-distant Springfield, Hammond or Santa Clara (and not have to pay for the privilege).
