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Colleges' short-term classes prove popular
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Classes that begin after the traditional start of the semester and that are shorter than typical classes are proving popular with busy students at local community colleges.
The late-start classes appeal to working parents or students who drop a class but still want to complete a full semester of courses, college officials said.
"They are getting more popular, and we're offering more of them," said Pam Eddinger, executive vice president of Moorpark College. "We want to provide as many choices as we can."
Although the spring semester started in January, Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges all offer classes that will begin in the next few weeks.
Late-start or short-term classes generally go for 15, 12 or eight weeks, rather than the longer 18 weeks of a traditional semester.
Although shorter in duration, the classes run for an extended amount of time compared with regular classes.
Ventura College has child development and business classes starting this month and next.
Oxnard College has American Sign Language and child development classes starting next month.
And Moorpark College has classes in accounting, counseling and health, among others.
Jaja Ajah, 20, a student at Ventura College, is taking two late-start classes this semester after dropping an anatomy class that didn't work out for him.
"I want to keep my full-time status, so it was really helpful for me," said Ajah, who lives in Ventura. "It's mandatory for my scholarship."
For colleges, the classes just make good business sense, said Alisa Moore, spokeswoman for Moorpark College. They're meeting a growing demand among people who want to fit more education into less time.
"The market is there," Moore said. "People like them. They fit them into their schedule, then move on to the next class."
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