Registration opens for eight-week WCC classes
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 7, 2012 1:50 AM
Students interested in getting a jump start on earning college credits have an opportunity this week as Wayne Community College holds registration for "Fall II" courses.
Registration for the second eight-week classes, which begin Oct. 17, will be Thursday from 1 to 7 p.m. on the main campus, and until Oct. 17 at the school's Seymour Johnson Air Force Base location.
"Our approach is that we were going to do second semester, and that we wanted to have something for students to come for," said Dr. Peggy Teague, vice president of academic and student services.
It's all about engaging students, whether they are already taking full-semester courses or interested in getting started before the spring.
"It allows those that didn't finish with financial aid in time (in the fall), there will be some who started at another school and decided that a big school was not right for them and want to get started with us," she said. "It just is a second opportunity for them to register."
"Fall II" provides the same education at a faster pace, explained Danny Rollins, department chair, language and communications.
"We do have people who are in and out of the community, a lot of military," he said. "College transfer classes, a lot of them are being offered -- during the day time, at night time and often online.
"We offer an expandable education. Nine times out of 10 if you're transferred out, you can still take that class with you to another college or another community."
Having the option of taking a course in a condensed amount of time is just one advantage of a community college, Rollins said, and Wayne Community is all about providing accessibility.
"It's the people's college," he said. "There are a lot of good things that happen here for our students."
Make no mistake, though, Dr. Teague said, the reduced schedule does not short-change anyone on information.
"All the hours and all the content are included," she said of the comprehensive coverage in the eight-week option.
To ensure students take advantage of the second round of registration, Ms. Teague said staff have made every effort to contact or work with those who previously signed up for classes or needed additional help with financial aid.
Likewise, division and department chairmen were enlisted to expand the number of course options, resulting in 50 course titles and 61 classes -- from the typical college transfer opportunities like English, math, religion and sociology, to business and computer classes and more specialized areas like emergency preparedness, basic auto electricity, poultry production and child development.
This is also the first year students can also take developmental math courses, said Tammy Bishop, pre-curriculum department chairwoman. The four-week courses cover seven different math concepts.
"They're not accelerated," she explained. "They concentrate on one concept at time."
The varied offerings are designed to fit an array of needs, the officials said -- from first-time students to those needing an additional credit in their field of study, from full-time students to those juggling a job or family.
Ideally, those interested in taking classes have already completed the necessary financial aid applications, Ms. Teague said.
"If they have not done anything, it's too late to start unless they're able to pay for the courses up front," she said, explaining that it typically takes about four weeks to process financial aid paperwork.
There will also be another registration in mid-October to November for the spring semester, Rollins said, with the same eight-week option offered midway through that semester as well.
Patty Pfeiffer, division chair, engineering and manufacturing, said there is another advantage to new students registering for the "Fall II" program.
"Even taking a single course, when it comes time to register for the spring semester, they will get to choose classes before new students come in," she said.
A complete list of courses can be found online at www.waynecc.edu.