COSTA MESA : Orange Coast College Enrollment Climbs

Enrollment for the spring semester at Orange Coast College is up by more than 1,200 over last spring, officials said.

As of Tuesday, the first day of the spring semester, officials reported a 5.8% increase and expect enrollment to continue rising through Monday, and again when 15-week mid-semester classes start.

On the first day of the semester last spring, 21,768 were enrolled, with a total of 28,010 by mid-semester because of the additional classes offered. This year’s first-day enrollment was 23,040.

“We actually started with 1,272 more students than spring a year ago,” said Sue Brown, administrative dean of admissions and records. “We picked up . . . almost 400 (more) yesterday.”

Enrollment was up despite a slight increase in fees from last year, from $5 per unit up to a maximum of $50 per semester, to the current $6 per unit up to a maximum of $60.

After cutting the number of class selections through last year, the college added 47 classes this spring, Brown said. However, after the first week the college will probably cut some classes in which just a few students have enrolled, she said, leaving the total class count at about the same level as last spring.

She added that no more teachers have been hired, which has probably increased class sizes.

“Those 1,272 students have to be somewhere,” Brown said.

The college cut 30% of its summer classes last year because of a tighter budget and will probably do the same this summer, Brown said.

Registration will continue through Feb. 3 in the college admissions office. A special registration session is scheduled Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Registration for 15-week classes, which will begin Feb. 10, will be conducted Feb. 3 to 21. Mid-semester courses will start March 23.

For information, call (714) 432-5772.