School started Monday for students at Jefferson Community College, and President Carole A. McCoy said there are more incoming freshmen on campus this fall than ever before.

"This year we have 911 new full- and part-time students," Mrs. McCoy said. "That breaks our record of 881 that was set in 2005. There are a lot of new freshmen. People are recognizing we're a great place. We've been actively promoting the college and I think it's paid off."

She said the overall enrollment is about the same at this time last year, which was about 1,700. Mrs. McCoy said she is expecting numbers to increase throughout the week as more students enroll.

"A lot of people look at community colleges when the economy is bad," Mrs. McCoy said. "People reconsider us as a less-expensive option."

Mrs. McCoy said her favorite part of the beginning of school is all of the excitement on campus.

"It's those fresh faces out there," she said. "They're so excited but they're scared and worried. It's a new beginning. Today is about their futures."

She also said that while students may see some cosmetic improvements to some of the furnishings on campus, most upgrades have been behind the scenes.

The college's facilities master plan was released in July, outlining plans for dorms, a higher-education center and renovations to several buildings.

The strategic master plan, which laid out the long-term academic plans for the college, was released earlier this month.

"Pictures of the plans are hanging in the commons area and we've gotten a lot of wonderful feedback from students and staff," Mrs. McCoy said.

Lindsey J. Kenyon, a sophomore studying liberal arts, said she's heard about the plans to build dorms and thinks it's a positive thing for the college.

"I live in Philadelphia, so I think it would have been helpful to have them in my first year," she said. "That's a 30-minute drive both ways and it would have saved on a lot of gas."

Kaitlyn E. Meeks, a freshman from Clayton, said she thinks dorms are a great idea and will help keep students in the county.

"It's a cheaper school, so maybe it'll make kids want to stay here instead of going somewhere else and spending $40,000 a year on tuition," she said.