College enrollment was down this semester nationwide. To keep students in the classroom, virtual or otherwise, The Eastern Iowa Community Colleges gave new students a choice between a free class or a free laptop. 800 students chose the laptop, and 12,000 took the free class.
Because of the program's success, the EICC is offering those same incentives for the spring semester.
Naomi DeWinter, president of the Muscatine campus, says the coronavirus pandemic has not been easy on recent high school graduates.
"Students chose to defer their enrollment in the hopes that the spring would provide a different look. They didn't want to go to a more remote option; they wanted to have that experience they have in their mind. So, it's even more important, I think, to offer an incentive like this in the spring because COVID has not gone away."
New students have to enroll full time to quality for a free laptop or class. Part time students will receive $200 off their tuition, and current students who register for classes by Dec. 1 will receive $500 off their tuition.
