MIAMI -- The weak economy has helped to boost college and university enrollment as many South Floridians opt to head back to school to find new careers.

South Florida schools received applications from thousands of students they were not expecting this fall, Local 10's Constance Jones reported.

"Actually, this is the highest fall enrollment we've had since Broward College has been in existence," said Edward Key, the enrollment director for Broward College.

Most of the new applicants are looking for new careers or are trying to remain competitive in their current fields.

"I decided just to further my knowledge within the human resources field that I'm in already," said student Yvonne Ellis.

The biggest increase has been seen at community colleges, where students can finish quickly and then reenter the workforce.

Miami-Dade College reported a 19 percent increase in enrollment this semester, while Broward College had an 11 percent increase.

The University of Miami, Barry University and Florida Memorial University all have seen their applicant pools swell, although with caps on enrollment, they have been able to admit only a small percentage.

"Colleges and universities are not able to take all the students who are applying," said Linda M. Peterson, PhD, of Barry University.

Online courses have also surged in popularity. University of Phoenix and Kaplan University have both seen 45 percent more students enroll online, Jones reported.

For many students, the goal is to land a successful job -- although that's not guaranteed.

"That's a risk you just take," Ellis said.

Local 10 and Kaplan University are both owned by The Washington Post Company.