Get It Done: Be Prepared for the Fall Semester

Organizational Behavior, Brewing History and Racial and Ethnic Relations are just a few of the many hundreds of courses available for the fall semester at Kalamazoo Valley.

Help registering for classes is just one of the many services that will be available at the Get it Done – Be Prepared for the Fall Semester event held at Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Texas Township Campus Aug. 1 from 4 – 7 p.m. in the Student Commons.

This annual event serves as a convenient, one-stop option for students, parents and community members who have questions or are interested in attending Kalamazoo Valley. Representatives from the Financial Aid Office, Office for Enrollment Management, the Admissions, Registration and Records Office, Student Activities and Organizations and Student Success Services will be on hand to assist those in attendance.

A number of faculty members and academic deans also will be available to answer questions about specific programs and degrees offered at the college.

“Kalamazoo Valley offers a wide variety of programs in a number of different career pathways,” Executive Vice President for Instructional and Student Success Services Dr. Dennis A. Bertch said. “Several of these programs will be on display at our August 1 event. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the services and programs that are available at Kalamazoo Valley.”

Additionally, Bertch added, students can learn more about the new Kalamazoo Valley Accelerated Associate Program (KVAAP). This new initiative covers the cost of tuition, fees and books for qualifying students and is meant to help ensure that students can attend school full time and complete their associate degree. In addition to financial assistance, students benefit from advising and educational pathway guidance.

Program Director Louis Thomas will have applications and information available for students interested in participating in KVAAP. Students must reside in Kalamazoo County or Mattawan and demonstrate financial need. Additionally, they must be enrolled full time and pursuing a degree in business, culinary/brewing, art and new media, liberal arts, or science.

With more than 100 questions, filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be an overwhelming process for parents and students. Staff from the Financial Aid Office will also be on hand to help anyone in the community who needs assistance with their college financial aid paperwork or who would like to learn more about the financial aid process. Computers will be available in order to access the online FAFSA application. Attendees should bring all necessary paperwork to complete the FAFSA, including 2016 tax return information.

“We’re here to help,” said Director of Financial Aid Alisha Cederberg. “I encourage anyone who has questions about financial aid to stop by – there’s a lot of money out there to help with the costs of attending college – and the process can be complicated.”

Attendees at the Aug. 1 event can complete a number of the necessary steps to becoming a Kalamazoo Valley student, including: talking to an advisor or counselor, registering for New Student Orientation, enrolling for the fall semester and touring the Texas Township Campus. Placement testing will be available but can take up to three hours to complete. People without test scores are encouraged to visit the college prior to the Get it Done event to take the test so they can complete the other necessary steps to become a Kalamazoo Valley student on Aug. 1. The Texas Township Testing Center, Room 2210, is open Monday – Thursday from 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. The Arcadia Commons Testing Center, Room 211 in Anna Whitten Hall, is open 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

“There’s still time to become part of the Kalamazoo Valley community,” said Director of Enrollment Management EJ Bast. “We’re trying to remove as many barriers as possible for students so they can enroll in classes.”

Attendees with test scores, as well as any educational documents, including high school and college transcripts should bring them to the event to ensure proper course placement.

Students attending college for the first time, Bast stressed, must attend a New Student Orientation prior to registering for classes.

“We want students to succeed at Kalamazoo Valley and New Student Orientation lays the groundwork for that success,” he said. “There are several orientations in August that students can attend and still have time to get enrolled in fall classes.”

Students who have already been accepted to the college can register for New Student Orientation by calling 269.488.4048 or they can register in person at the Aug. 1 event.

For more information about how to apply to the college and register for classes visit www.kvcc.edu/ register. The event is free and open to the community.