Small classes, cost add to community colleges' appeal

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

When 18-year-old Nerine Villagomez graduated from Mililani High last year she had the choice of an array of Mainland colleges, plus UH-Manoa. Instead, she picked Honolulu Community College because it offered solid teaching in small classes at a fraction of the cost of a big school.

Michelle Mueller is studying journalism but not at a traditional university. She chose to attend Windward Community College instead. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

"I had many options, from Sarah Lawrence at about $30,000, to Seattle University for probably $10,000," said Villagomez. "And that's a lot of money considering that I can go to school here at HCC and take 15 credits for $660."

Villagomez isn't the only one turning down a large and more expensive university for a cheaper, homier community college. Enrollment is booming at community colleges across the state — and across the nation — cementing their niche as magnets for displaced workers, alternatives to costly four-year campuses and the best bargain to retool your life or gain new skills.

While the sizzle of a Sarah Lawrence on her resume was tempting, Villagomez admits, she passed it up for her undergraduate years for a solid, debt-free education at HCC while she figures out her future. Plus, she plans to attend graduate school, so she'll add whatever flash she feels necessary later.

Community colleges have traditionally been a refuge for displaced workers in hard economic times, and since Sept. 11, many schools are reporting double-digit enrollment percentage increases, according to the American Association of Community Colleges based in Washington, D.C. In Washington state, for instance, Tacoma Community College enrollment grew 18.5 percent. In Connecticut, Gateway Community College saw a rise of 14 percent.

In Hawai'i the overall UH system saw a 5 percent increase this year over last — but big increases at some of the community colleges led the way, particularly Windward and Maui at 13 percent each.

Money is a key reason, though not the only one.

"Cost is absolutely one of the factors, there's no question," said Sandra Matsui, dean of students at Windward. "But what students love about Windward is the feeling of the small-campus family. The average class size is 22 as opposed to going to a larger college where they could be one of hundreds."

Hawai'i's community colleges have pushed to keep classes small, intimate and more like high school by adding instructors and rearranging starting times. While the average size of a freshman course at UH-Manoa is about 30 students, some compulsory courses, such as History 151, can still have lecture sessions of 75-100.

UH-Manoa's enrollment stands at 18,709 students — the highest since the mid-1990s — compared with 1,786 at Windward Community College. While Windward's enrollment is up 300 over a year ago, the school still has an intimate feel.

Those are exactly the kinds of things that drew Michelle Mueller, a 20-year-old sophomore, to Windward. After two years at UH-Manoa, Mueller dropped out for a semester, overwhelmed by the immensity of the place.

"Going to class wasn't hard," she said, "but registering, finding out where to get help and academic advising, turning in health forms, finding parking, all those little things were so overwhelming. I was getting so lost."

At Windward a meeting was quickly set up with an adviser who went over her transcripts, made recommendations for courses and found out what was available. It was close to home, she could get up an hour later every morning, and didn't have to fight traffic and parking.

And the price was right.

"For 12 credits it was $655 instead of $1,600," said Mueller.

Barmak Nassirian, a policy analyst with the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, based in Washington, noted that recessions tend to inflate college enrollments.

"But this time is different," said Nassirian, "because the increases are primarily at the community college level. For most families, the economic downturn doesn't manifest itself in depleted portfolios but instead forces them to make different choices. For those people, community colleges present a safety net."

Honolulu Community College faculty senate president David Cleveland is seeing the impact.

"With the economy, you have people changing careers and upgrading skills," said Cleveland. "And many students are coming back after attempting careers. What they find is they just can't make ends meet just with a high school education. Or they're in a technical area where the technology changes. I'm getting the ones whose occupations were threatened."

At both Windward and Maui Community College, new buildings, new course offerings and new starting times are part of the lure. After several years in the planning and building stages, new facilities are in place. Maui's new media technology building offers the most advanced computer engineering, science and electronics program and a chance for people already in the field to upgrade their skills.

"And we have the ability to broker with four-year institutions to bring their programs to Maui online or with interactive TV or in person," said Alvin Tagomori, MCC dean of student services.

Windward has a new NASA Flight Training Aerospace Education Laboratory, Center for the Arts and planetarium/imaginarium. It also has focused on being user-friendly by starting a selection of classes two weeks later for late applicants and offering a better selection of class times.

"Students who tried to register at other campuses and couldn't get what they wanted came here," said Matsui. "We were able to catch a lot of applicants that applied late."

For David Wilkinson, a 25-year-old student in ocean engineering who chose Maui Community College this year over a bigger school, it has taken time to figure out the right place to study — time he wasted on high tuition costs at a big school.

"I went to Florida State right out of high school and personally I wasn't that focused," he said. "It was $7,000 a year and I was paying for it myself. And I couldn't really afford it."

It took four years in the Navy to clarify his thinking and make Wilkinson realize that on Maui he could carry on the outdoor life of surfing and mountain biking he loved, pursue the kind of major he finally knows he wants, and still have money left over to live on.

Paulele Alcon, a 17-year-old freshman from Moloka'i, is learning the same thing. Though he had scholarships and an acceptance from UH-Manoa, he decided that a big impersonal school wasn't what his rural, small-town roots needed.

"I'd rather go to HCC," said Alcon. "I like the teachers. It's a lot cheaper and the classes are smaller. At UH I didn't like the big lecture halls. Because I'm from Moloka'i I didn't want a too drastic change."

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.