Enrollment at the University System of Georgia's third largest institution set a new record of 22,808 students registered for fall 2008, helping to bring the system closer to its goal of 100,000 new students by the year 2020.

"Our focus on student success makes us an attractive choice to current and future students," said Dr. Anthony S.Tricoli, president of Georgia Perimeter College. "We are committed to keeping a GPC education affordable and accessible, to offering small classes taught by award-winning faculty, and to helping our students transfer seamlessly to four-year colleges or embark on exciting careers."

The increase marks a second consecutive gain in students and another historic high for GPC. Enrollment grew by 7.2 percent in fall 2007-to an historic 21,473. This fall 2008, the enrollment grew an additional 1,335 students, representing the greatest number of new students to a USG institution.

The University System of Georgia's latest enrollment report reveals an increase of 13,000 new students at its 35 institutions. Most of the growth in 2008 comes courtesy of the system's two-year institutions which have accounted for 3,350 of the 13,000 new students.

This year, GPC enrolled the highest number of Joint Enrollment students in the USG-922-more than at all regional and state universities combined. GPC also enrolls the greatest number distance learning students in Georgia with almost 6,000 taking online courses.

In addition, GPC has the most racially diverse student body in the state, including 9,298 African-American, 2,367 Asian, 1,252 Hispanic and 1,122 multiracial students.

Tricoli cited innovative programs such as GPC's Transfer Admissions Guarantees which are growing in popularity exponentially. Currently, Georgia Perimeter has signed TAGs with 29 colleges. Each TAG college requires students to complete their core courses or associate degree for transfer, typically 60 hours of class work.

The TAG advantage offered by GPC is clear, said Dr. Betty Molloy, assistant vice president of Academic and Student Affairs. "The competitive admissions process to colleges has made it more difficult for students to get into their four-year college of choice," Molloy said. "They are competing with hundreds of other students for limited slots. The advantage of GPC's TAG agreement is that students are guaranteed admission if they meet that college's requirements for transfer students. They are automatically ‘moved to the top' of the admissions process and they won't have to worry about competing to get in."

With enrollment growing at a rapid pace, college officials are encouraging students to get to their closest campus (Dunwoody, Clarkston, Decatur, Newton County, and Alpharetta) and enroll soon for the start of what appears will be another record breaking semester.