While colleges around the country are struggling, right here in North Texas, we have two colleges that are breaking records. The University of North Texas and Texas Woman's University continue to grow. They are rising with not only incoming first-year students, but they are keeping the students until they walk the stage.
"At TWU, the increase is part of ongoing efforts to increase communication with potential students and stay in touch until they get to campus in the fall, said Randall Langston, vice president for enrollment management. The school is emailing prospective students after tours with links to apply and has started a text message communication program, too, he said. 'We’ve put in a lot of effort to reach out to students directly,' he said. 'It’s valuable to provide information to students so when they arrive on campus as a student, they’ve been communicated with and they’re connected once they arrive, and hopefully they feel a real sense of place when they get here. Both campuses also saw growth in their online-only student base: TWU has 3,689 enrolled strictly online, and UNT has 4,145 students taking classes exclusively online. Graduate enrollment increased at both schools, too. At TWU, there was a 2.2% rise in graduate students, and UNT had a 10% growth in master’s students. This year's numbers also showed that efforts to keep students continuously enrolled at UNT is working. Last year, UNT staff made a concentrated effort to boost retention numbers, with Smatresk instructing all faculty and staff to work toward the goal. In addition to the 79.3% retention rate, they also increased four-year graduation by 4.5%; a trend staff is working to continue building on, Smatresk said. We think this is a big trend for the future,' he said. 'That four-year graduation jump heartened me. It means we eliminated some of the bottlenecks ... the retention numbers and graduation numbers make me most proud of the great people I get to work with.'"
I think the article is pretty spot on. You have to wonder why these colleges are growing when so many others are slimming down. Why do YOU think they are successful? I think one reason is because us parents put the fear of God into our children. When we put the money in, we expect the degree to come out. Of course I am kidding...well, partly. I actually think these two colleges continue to grow because of the Denton location. When students visit these campuses, they are not only enticed by a taste of freedom, but the college area is so cleverly built up. What young adult would say no to having access to everything they need within three miles of the school? North Texas has done a fantastic job of cleaning up downtown and college areas. It is the place to be. There are so many places the students can meet up. North Texas caters to the college generation. It is full of art, music, and fantastic food. There are places to walk, gather, study, and enjoy the company of other students.
What does this mean for real estate? It means there is money to be made. While enrollment is growing, more people are coming to the area. Where are all these college students going to live? You can only fit so many students in campus housing, and not all of them can afford it. But what they CAN afford is to rent a house with a few other college students. College students can be FANTASTIC renters. Mom and dad are often footing the bill (this is an ideal situation for them), and the students are rarely around the house. Basically, your home can be a crash pad that brings in money. If you buy a home close to campus, you are guaranteed to fill it fast. Students can be low-risk renters (that most of the time don't have animals). You can be a parent's saving grace. You will cost so much less than campus housing!
If you are looking to make some extra side money, let's have coffee. Let me tell you about some opportunities coming down the pipeline for you to buy a house, and turn it into a cash cow. North Texas is the place to be. Now, let's make sure YOU take advantage of it.
Call me! 469-585-7591
Your Top DFW Realtor - Brenda Debus
https://dentonrc.com/news/unt-twu-set-all-time-records-for-campus-enrollment/article_8fdf262c-c908-5599-b3ee-328a9ae7f05b.html