Chattahoochee Technical College began its first semester Monday with 11,873 students on the rolls. Students returning to campus are faced with the changes of the academic schedule, including classes starting a month earlier and now earning an average of three credit hours rather than five per class.

“We knew there would be questions and even some confusion,” said Chattahoochee Technical College President Dr. Sanford Chandler. “We’ve been preparing for this for more than a year, but you still know that there are going to be questions and concerns when you go through a change this big. The thing we have to remember is that our students are prepared to learn and our faculty is ready to teach. That’s the one thing that hasn’t changed.”

As classes began Monday, 11,873 students were signed up for at least one class at one of the college’s eight campuses or online. Campuses such as Marietta and North Metro in Acworth remain popular choices for students with 70 percent of students attending at those two locations. Online classes also remain a popular option, as they offer flexibility in scheduling that working students need. Campus enrollment as of Monday stands at:

• Appalachian – 713
• Austell – 300
• Canton – 788
• Marietta – 4,848
• Mountain View - 873
• North Metro – 3,412
• Online – 3,603
• Paulding – 1,380
• Woodstock – 595

Monday’s numbers also indicated that the average age of Chattahoochee Technical College students is unchanged from previous years at 28. Popular programs of study include healthcare prerequisite studies and technical specialist certificates. More than 2,800 students on the rolls Monday were considered new, with no previous college credit from CTC.

In addition to the change from 10-week quarters to 15-week semesters, students are facing new requirements popular HOPE Scholarship and Grant programs that had paid tuition, books and many of the fees for eligible students. Under the new guidelines, students who qualify for HOPE will have $60.75 of the $75 per credit hour tuition costs paid. Fees and books will no longer be covered. Most of CTC’s students receive some sort of financial aid, including the Pell Grant and HOPE Scholarship or Grant. Pell funding will not change this school year with eligible students receiving a maximum of $5,550 (based on full-time enrollment in a full academic year) to be split evenly among the semesters.

For more information about Chattahoochee Technical College, visit www.chattahoocheetech.edu or call 770-528-4545.