Mick Swasko, TribLocal reporter

North Central College will have to open its doors even wider as classes are set to begin in less than two weeks.

For the fifth year running, the college has posted its highest anticipated enrollment. College officials said 888 new students are expected to start classes when the school opens Sept. 13. While enrollment numbers will not be officially certified until late September, the school expects a total enrollment of 2,900 students, 2,600 of whom are undergrads.

The college also posted another record for incoming students. 588 students are enrolled as members of the 2014 graduating class, a new high, and most of them are expected to live on campus. Data also shows a 17 percent minority population, the highest in the college’s 149-year history.

Martin Sauer, dean of admission and financial aid at NCC, said the college has reached a goal of growing undergraduate enrollment, and may need to become more selective.

“Our housing is basically right at capacity right now,” Sauer said, adding that the increased numbers will have very little impact on class sizes. “I think there is a strong probability that the incoming class will be smaller for next year.”

About two-thirds of the incoming students are 2010 high school graduates, with about 300 transfer students from other schools. Enrollment data shows North Central will have students from 17 states and 22 countries.