TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Ridgeview High School graduate Yesenia Gomez enrolled at Bakersfield College on Friday -- and if estimates hold, she will be joined by close to 20,000 other students clamoring for a college education.

Fall semester enrollment stood at about 17,000 by Wednesday and is projected to approach a record 20,000 by the time the official head count is taken three weeks into the semester, said BC spokeswoman Amber Chiang. Last fall's final tally was 17,898.

The surge in enrollment is due in part to the current state of the economy, which also has left Cal State Bakersfield bracing for a $13.5 million cut to its budget.

Higher fees, larger classes and an expected downsizing in enrollment levels are already believed to be impacting BC, Chiang said.

Recessions and tight labor markets traditionally draw more people to higher education, from high school grads like Gomez to working parents and returning students like 37-year-old Sean Brooks.

"They called to let me know one class was dropped," Brooks said as he waited for a ride home from BC on Friday. "Basically, I had to figure out on my own how to replace that class."

But, in general, the administration has done a good job of dealing with the huge enrollment jump, he said.

As a result of the economic downturn, community colleges have suffered severe cuts in the state budget. And students are seeing a fee increase of $6 per unit -- a $90 bump for three five-unit classes -- beginning this semester.

"This is just part of the cycle that schools go through with budget cuts," said Chiang, who recalled a similar situation in 2003.

The cuts have forced the college to reduce the number of courses available, which makes it difficult for students to get spots in high-demand classes such as math, science and English general requirements.

"I couldn't get into math or English classes," said Gomez, who turns 18 next month. "They put me on a waiting list."

Second-year nursing student Veronika Martinez said landing a spot in the nursing program is getting to be more difficult.

"There's so much competition just getting into classes -- then there's competition (to get into the nursing program). You have to test into the program now instead of a random draw and it's very competitive because so many want to be nurses."

But several facets of the curriculum are affected.

"Of all the classes at Bakersfield College, specialized courses are cut first," Chiang said.

Culinary arts major Samantha Cossel, a second year student at BC, says the poor economy has made life harder.

"Even if you can find one, jobs don't pay much, which is difficult since the cost of classes has gone up," Cossel said. "It's hard to get classes that also fit into a work schedule. But I need to get my education so I can get a better job.

With a full-time faculty of 249 and a part-time faculty of 280, the college has not yet been forced to lay off instructors, Chiang said. But teachers who retire or transfer to another campus have not been replaced -- and layoffs are still a possibility if the budget continues to be axed.

As the new semester opens next week, Chiang is asking students to be patient.

"There's going to be so many more students on this campus," she said. "That means lines at counseling, lines at financial aid."