One of the first things you will learn about economics is the relationship of supply and demand. When the consumers’ needs grow, entrepreneurs should increase production to provide. And when the latter fails to do their part, the system will fall into chaos.
But can the same system apply to school?
When students first sign up to go to Las Positas College, their transfer goals and timetables are clear in their heads. But after a semester or two of being waitlisted and closed out on required classes, many have no option but to simply defer their plans.
Bryan Bumanlag is only one of those who had a problem taking a needed math class.
“Every time I tried registering for a class, they were already full,” Bumanlag said. “I just end up taking other classes, such as general education ones.”
The end result is that Bumanlag and other students who can’t take their needed classes fall into the pattern of taking substitute classes to fill in their required amount of units. And in the long run, they are forced to stay longer at LPC.
One possible solution that many may suggest is to just add more classes for required courses. According to LPC Academic Senate President Sarah Thompson, however, there are certain limits to what the school can do, especially when resources are concerned.
“We could move our enrollment pattern around so that all the courses needed are offered,” Thompson said, “but other students wouldn’t be able to take Anthropology or Early Child Development or Welding.”
But the problem does not seem to affect some of the LPC community, as there are some who find themselves on the green side of the fence.
For students such as sophomore Olga Salgado, having all their bases covered early on was the solution. According to her, talking to a counselor and getting her education plan ready has helped.
“So far I’ve been able to get everything I need,” Salgado said.
But in cases of students like Bumanlag, perhaps the supply of classes has no choice but to lag behind the demand of the LPC population.
“We just have too many students and not enough courses to offer,” Thompson concluded.