Registration starts next week for summer, fall classes

April is national Community College month and, by coincidence, the pace at Ozarks Technical Community College is about to pick up this month, too.

Registration will begin for summer and fall classes next week, so it’s a time when current and prospective students will start gathering their paper work and their thoughts about selecting classes.

Registration dates are set according to the number of credit hours a student has amassed.

For those with 30 or more hours, registration starts Tuesday. For those with 15-29 hours, registration starts April 22. For those with 1-14 hours, signup starts April 26 and for those who have not taken classes at OTC, registration starts May 4.

Newcomers learn more about the registration process at a Student Advising and Registration (STAR) session. For more information on those sessions, call the main campus at 447-6944 or the Richwood Valley campus at 447-7727.

Joan Barrett, dean of students and registrar, said the registration is done in segments to offer students more assistance.

“It’s easier for everyone. Students don’t have to wait in super long lines. We can spend more time with the student,” she said.

School officials are urging students to take advantage of the online registration process that’s available through their MyOTC account. Newcomers receive access when they enroll. Last year, about 70 percent of all students registered online.

“It’s a much smoother process. It works so well,” Barrett said.

Registration continues until June 9 for summer classes and until Aug. 25 for fall, but the sooner a student registers, the better the chance of getting a needed class.

But not registering on the first day isn’t a problem either, Barrett said.

“You haven’t missed the bus if you’re not registered on the first day. Students can come in and ask questions and get started. If they don’t have access to a computer, they can come in and use one available here,” she said.

Just how many students will attend OTC in the fall? Barrett isn’t predicting.

“Last July 1, registration was down 2 percent over the year before and we ended up with a 17 percent increase,” she said.

Steve Koehler is coordinator of publications for Ozarks Technical Community College. Contact him at koehlers@otc.edu.