BCC fall semester enrollment could again break record

Jack McDuffie

If the first two days of the first registration period are any indication, fall enrollment at Bladen Community College could again break a record.  After the first two days of the four-day registration period, more than 1,000 curriculum students had enrolled for fall classes.

BCC Dean of Enrollment Barry Priest said he is pleased with the way registration has progressed with few bottlenecks.  He pointed out that the registration process entails several steps but that those steps have been simplified with the full implementation of the current system and procedures. 

Priest said he attributes the rush of students to register early to class availability.

“Students are learning that they have significantly less classes to choose from if they wait to enroll,” Priest explained.  “We have already filled around 50 classes for the fall and others are filling quickly.  It’s a good problem to have but it does limit class availability for students who cannot register until the August 12 registration day.”

BCC President Dr. William Findt said he is pleased that so many Bladen County residents are looking to the College as a resource and a place where they can acquire the skills to be competitive in today’s job market.

“Though the growth we are experiencing puts a strain on our resources, it shows that the folks in our area have confidence in the service we are providing to the community and its residents.  We have a dedicated faculty and staff who are committed to providing the best in quality education and training to the students who come to us,” he added.

Only students who attended during the spring and/or summer semesters and others who had completed their application prior to July 1 were permitted to enroll during the current registration period.  Others must wait until the August 12 final registration to enroll.

BCC enrollment has grown dramatically in the past two years, up by more than 21 percent last year.  Enrollment has set a new record each fall and spring semester for the past five semesters, a trend seen throughout the North Carolina Community College System and expected by most educators around the country when the economy began to falter in the fall of 2007.

The dramatic growth has required BCC administrators to find innovative ways to accommodate the increased number of students as resources lag behind enrollment growth.  Distance education classes have played a major role in accommodating the increased number of students.