The fall semester of Merced College Los Banos Campus is starting Aug. 25, and for the first time ever, the semester will last 16 weeks, not 18 weeks as it has since Merced College began in 1962.
For prospective students who have been thinking of going to the college campus but have not yet enrolled, the Los Banos Campus (at 22240 Highway 152, west of Walmart) is offering a one-day complete registration event on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At the event, called Extreme Registration, prospective students can – all in one visit — complete an application, meet with a counselor, go through orientation, receive financial aid support, register for classes, get a student ID card and have all their questions answered.
The Los Banos Campus continues to offer more in-person classes, while also providing many opportunities to take online courses. This has been a continuing process following the COVID pandemic.
“About three-quarters of our classes are now in person,” said Dr. Jessica Moran, Dean of the Los Banos Campus. “And we continue to have online courses as an important option. I encourage anyone interested in the fall semester to stop by the Welcome Center on campus, located on the east end of building A, and see what’s available.
What makes this semester memorable is that it will end 16 weeks after it begins. This is the first time Merced College, at both its Merced and Los Banos campuses, will offer a shorter semester. It also allows for a later fall start date than previous semesters. Last fall, the semester started on Aug. 12.
To help explain why and how Merced College decided to go to a 16-week semester, the college created a helpful webpage, which includes frequently asked questions: https://www.mccd.edu/about-merced-college/divisions/instruction/upcoming-16-week-academic-calendar/.
“Anyone who has questions about the fall semester or any facet of the Merced College Los Banos Campus should drop by the Welcome Center,” Dr. Moran said. “We will be glad to help in any way we can.”
The Los Banos Campus Welcome Center is currently open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Friday. The phone number of the Welcome Center is (209) 381-6429.
