MCLA Enrollment Grows for Second Straight Year, Despite National Trend

NORTH ADAMS — May 1 is the date when colleges and universities nationwide learn how many students have committed to enroll for the fall. For Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), the answer was the best it has been in five years. Deposits for the incoming class are up 20% over last year, marking the second consecutive year of enrollment growth.

That growth is happening against a backdrop where the college-age population is declining nationally. High-school graduation numbers in Berkshire County have been falling for years. Even so, MCLA has 94 deposits from the Berkshire region this cycle, up 29% from last year.

“I’m proud of the progress MCLA has made, and these enrollment numbers reflect the hard work of our faculty and staff to put students first,” said MCLA President James Birge, who will conclude his tenure this summer after more than a decade leading the institution. “As I prepare to conclude my time here, I’m confident the college is well-positioned for continued success in the years ahead.”

The growth reflects a deliberate shift in how MCLA approaches recruitment. Rather than casting a wide net, the college focused on reaching the right-fit students more often and more authentically, a strategy built for a generation that grew up digitally with handheld devices.

MCLA rewrote its top-level website pages to speak directly to students and families in plain, accessible language. The site now features dozens of videos of students talking about their experience in their own words, unscripted. On social media, the college shifted from polished announcements to student-focused content that shows what campus actually feels like day to day.

Program-level demand is also driving the numbers. Nursing deposits have jumped from 13 to 30, more than doubling compared to last year. Psychology is close behind, up from 12 to 18, a 50% increase. Both programs reflect students’ growing focus on careers in health and human services.

This summer, MCLA will continue to receive deposits from Hampshire College and Anna Maria College transfer students. As the college reviews and accepts those applications, enrollment is expected to climb further.