Community College Spotlight has a post on the California community college system that says that students can’t get their classes because the spots are all full and the schools aren’t opening more classes. My guess is this is a California-only problem, due to their budget issues. (I also wonder about the student. Was she not registering early? Did they make her register each semester after all the courses were closed?)
It’s not happening at my school and we had a 25% enrollment increase since last year. You don’t get that kind of increase if you don’t add classes. And I know you can register (relatively) late and still get in because my husband did that for a summer class that was offered in the evening.
No, it’s not a “California only” problem – not by a long shot. Your area may be more the exception than the rule.
“incompetent politicians and feckless voters in California have run their state into utter financial ruin and are thus unable/unwilling to provide space in public colleges and universities to tens of thousands of students despite the fact that economic down times are precisely when such access is needed the most.”
from Kevin Carey at the Chronicle