IRVINE : College Expects Record Enrollment

When the doors open Monday at Irvine Valley College, officials expect more students than ever before will be attending classes at the fast-growing campus.

As of Friday, about 6,500 students had enrolled for fall semester classes. But 11,000 are expected to enroll within the next few days, which would set a campus attendance record, college spokesman George McCrory said. Last fall, about 10,000 students enrolled in classes.

Although about half of the classes on the Irvine Valley College fall schedule have openings available, about 85% of the general education offerings--such as English courses--are already filled, McCrory said. Openings in night classes are also scarce.

The college is not the only campus to experience an enrollment boom this fall. Thousands of community college students throughout the county also waited in long lines Friday to try to get classes.

Despite the demand, McCrory said there are several Irvine Valley College classes still available for late-comers Monday.

Among the openings are classes in music, theater, real estate, physical education, computers and the new college journalism program, which is being directed by former San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Olga Briseno.

There are also openings in some of the campus technical programs, such as laser electro-optics, McCrory said.