Enrollment at University of Wisconsin Colleges increased for the seventh straight year this September, according to a statement from UW Colleges.

Fall enrollment for 2011 increased 1.6 percent from last fall and its enrollment currently stands at 14,614, the statement said.

There’s a reason for the increase, UW Colleges spokesperson Howard Cosgrove said in an email to The Badger Herald.

“The UW Colleges have the lowest tuition in the UW System – [$]4,503 per 2 semesters – and a lot of students live within commuting distance,” he said in the email. “Couple that with guaranteed transfer of credits to any UW campus, including Madison and Milwaukee and you can see that students can save thousands of dollars by starting at a nearby UW Colleges campus.”

The annual tuition for UW Colleges from 2011-2012 is $4,502, compared to $8,592 at UW-Madison, according to a statement from the UW System.

The Board of Regents approved an increase in tuition for the 2011-12 academic year for all schools in the system, and this year was the first time in five years the system ended the tuition freeze on its two-year schools. Previously these schools had stable tuition while the bills of students at four-year institutions rose.

“UW Colleges offers the least expensive start to a genuine University of Wisconsin education,” Cosgrove said in the email.

Not only was there an increase in enrollment at the 13 two-year campuses, but also at UW Colleges Online.

UW Colleges Online hit a record number of students this fall, with enrollment now at 1,595, a UW Colleges statement said.

“Some were up, some were down and some were flat. There was no pattern and we don’t really know why there was so much variation this year,” Cosgrove said.

He added that two of the schools, UW-Manitowoc and UW-Rock County, saw a higher increase than others.

UW Colleges is trying to foster a more collaborative model with larger universities in the system where students can start their bachelor’s degree at the UW Colleges campus and then transfer to a four-year university to complete their program, Cosgrove said.

“Two year colleges are viable routes to a bachelor’s degree for students who have a clear sense of purpose and who obtain the information needed to navigate transfer opportunities,” UW sociology professor Sara Goldrick-Rab said in an email.

Goldrick-Rab said more people should look to attend a two-year college.

“I wish more of Wisconsin’s population would consider attending a two-year college because even a year of post-secondary education imparts knowledge and skills needed to succeed in our workforce, thus growing our economy,” she said.

Goldrick-Rab added students thinking about college or unsure if it is for them should consider a two-year to determine if they should pursue a path in higher education.

“Enrollment in two-year colleges always rises during economic downturns,” Goldrick-Rab said in the email, “Students attend two-year colleges for many reasons but most often because those colleges are less expensive and enable a student to live at home while attending, [further lowering costs].”