Students struggle to find summer classes

Published on Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 by Nohel Category: Community Colleges

Community college courses too full

The Mercury News had a story recently that included a student, Vanessajoie Castillo, who had been hoping to get started on college courses so that she can get ahead in math. When she went to class last week at at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, she found lines of students and not an empty seat in the classrooms. This is indicative of how this summer has started in many community college systems. San Jose is not unique to the budget cuts nor the packed classes.

Most high schools are cutting summer school due to low funding and leaving students out. In addition, student’s who are home for the summer and wanting to take classes at a local community college are finding that not only are the classes full, but the waitlists are also full. Unless you are a continuing student that was enrolled this past spring, the chances of you finding a class are slim to none.

Welcome to the educational California budget crisis. The crisis that has left many students scrambling to find alternatives to community college classes and a confusing array of private course providers. “One program charged $900,” said Vanessajoie, 16. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

Online College Courses: Is this the solution?

As students are finding less options at the community college, they then turn to the private schools and online colleges for courses. Online college courses are a good idea, but you have to research where to take them from and if it is right for you. Private schools offering courses to college students have seen an enrollment boom in recent semesters because of this situation.

Now, combine returning veterans students, the newly unemployed, students home from the state’s public universities, plus the largest graduating high school class in California’s history, well, you can imagine…campuses end up with classes with waiting lists to the waitlists.

To read more on Vanessajoie, visit the Mercury News

Share the knowledge: