In an e-mail interview, he said they encountered some issues they didn’t anticipate, but “we are working very hard to address them immediately.”
He did not identify what these “issues” are, but he said after this week, the registration team at NMC will look at what went well and what didn’t “so we can improve the registration process for the next semester.”
NMC cannot project if the number of students will increase this semester, Pangelinan said.
It’s difficult for them to determine at this time what the final number of students will be for the Fall 2010 semester because there are still four days of registration left, he added.
The registration started on Monday and will end on Saturday.
Pangelinan said there are many factors that have encouraged many students to enroll at NMC.
“Our NMC recruitment team has been aggressive in their efforts to encourage high school students to consider NMC to further their education,” he said.
The college also engaged many students through various activities, including the Start Smart Seminars on Saipan, Rota and Tinian.
The college, moreover, conducted multiple information sessions in which NMC asked students to share their experiences with the community, Pangelinan said.
NMC, in addition, hosted the “Cash for College” seminar aimed at helping students find financial assistance to pay for their college expenses.
Nearly 400 students attended the last Cash for College event, Pangelinan said.
Because of the island’s current economic climate, many students are also enrolling in classes to sharpen and improve their skills and knowledge as they look to advance their careers, he added.
Daisy Manglona-Propst, NMC’s financial aid officer, said students can still apply for financial assistance.
“Those who are eligible for federal financial aid can still receive up to $2,775 per semester. I encourage those who need help in filling out financial aid forms to stop by our office at NMC,” she said in an e-mail to Variety.
“There are also other scholarships that students can take advantage of, including the College Access Challenge Project and the Natural Resources Management Scholarship Program,” she added.
In a statement, NMC interim President Lorraine Cabrera said they are pleased with the turnout so far of the registration.
“There are improvements that can be made to the registration process and we will ensure that we continue to improve the efficiency of registration for the benefit of our students” she said.
Cabrera acknowledged the assistance of many faculty, staff, and students who are helping to facilitate the registration process.
“Everyone is working together to ensure a great start to the Fall 2010 semester,” she added.
