Polk State College Expands ‘Earlybird’ Offerings

Sometimes the early bird…is an eagle.

At most colleges, students take early classes only as a last resort, preferring to hit the snooze button a few times before rolling out of bed.

Not at Polk State College. Here, students are demanding more early-morning classes that allow them to easily juggle their coursework, jobs and families.

To meet that demand, Polk State is now offering an expanded selection of classes that begin at 6 a.m.

In the spring, the College’s Lakeland campus will offer an early-morning lineup that includes College Algebra, Introduction to Humanities, General Psychology, and Human Anatomy and Physiology II. The selected early-morning courses are in high demand because they meet general education requirements for a majority of students at the College.

The additional early-morning classes follow the success of the College’s first 6 a.m. offering this fall. Twenty early risers are enrolled in Anatomy and Physiology I, nearly meeting the cap for the class.

The expanded early-morning classes come at a time when government cutbacks often mean a reduction in services – see any number of cuts to social services and education. Additionally, because of mounting economic pressures, students are increasingly seeking ways to attain their degrees while still bringing home a paycheck.

“Polk State College is always looking to greater serve our students and meet our students’ needs, and this is one way we are doing that,” said Donald Painter Jr., associate dean of academic affairs on the Lakeland campus.

The new early-morning courses end at 7:15 a.m., except for Anatomy and Physiology II, which concludes at 9:15 a.m.

“With that schedule, the students are able to go to a day job or make it home in time to take their children to school,” Painter said.

An added benefit of the 6 a.m. classes it that it allows Polk State – which is experiencing record enrollment – to maximize space at the Lakeland campus.

Painter said the College is aiming to offer additional Friday, Saturday and more early-morning classes on the Lakeland campus by next fall.

Spring enrollment is now under way. Students currently enrolled at the College may register online through the College’s PASSPORT. Prospective new students must first submit an online application to the College at www.polk.edu/futurestudents/admission.