Due to budget cuts in California, community colleges have been forced to reduce the amount of classes they offer. This not only results in larger class sizes, it makes it especially difficult for first year students to get the classes they want.
The Los Angeles Times states that enrollment in California’s colleges has surged, but budget cuts will leave students unable to get the courses they need, making it take longer for them to earn a degree.
This statement is troubling considering most students just want to take their courses and transfer out, or receive an associate’s degree in order to enter the workforce.
I want to take all of my core classes at De Anza College, but am anxiously waiting until April to receive decisions from various universities.
I know that some students are in the same boat as myself: we attend a community college hoping to get into a four-year university. Many times during my first quarter I felt that there was a frenzy adding classes. As a result, I did not end up getting even one of my core classes.
De Anza College determines a student’s priority for enrolling in classes by the amount of units they have already taken. This means that newer students get low priority at registration, so they have the toughest time getting the classes they need.
I am unsure how the community college system will fair in the coming years as the demand for education increases.
The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office reports that nearly 100,000 more students took classes from the 108 California Community Colleges in the fall compared to last year.
It would be safe to say that an increasing number of students are turning up at community colleges while the budget does not allow students to get what they need out of the schools.
During the registration for winter quarter, for instance, I noticed that there was little variety in the times that courses were offered.
Therefore, I had to enroll in a 7:30 a.m. class, as that was the only time that particular class was offered. I also had to enroll in two distant learning courses in order to get the classes I needed.
My hope is that the community college system will be able to give other students what they need, and help them in their academic endeavors.