Bergen Community College hosts an expansive open house for prospective students and families this month, featuring live demonstrations, campus tours and hands-on application assistance, Thursday, April 28 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the outdoor quad at the college’s main campus at 400 Paramus Road in Paramus. Register for the event at openhouse.bergen.edu.
Bergen offers more than 130 degree and certificate programs in areas such as aviation, criminal justice, dental hygiene, fashion design and hospitality — faculty from each area will meet with students at the open house.
This represents the first open house for programs such as cybersecurity, which the college officially launched this year. Students may also explore Bergen’s continuing-education offerings, which often provide a more immediate pipeline to the workforce.
In addition to learning about Bergen’s programs, students may receive on-site assistance with filing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Applying for financial aid helps students unlock enhanced tuition-assistance programs that can make Bergen more affordable — and even tuition-free, in some cases.
Students become eligible for many of the programs, including the state’s Community College Opportunity grant, which offers a tuition-free Bergen experience to students in households earning $65,000 or less, by filing the FAFSA.
The college says it has successfully navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, moving to a mask-optional campus environment this spring. Bergen’s campus facilities have fully reopened, though students also have the opportunity to enroll in classes virtually.
Bergen’s affordable tuition and renowned faculty complement general education classes such as English composition, general biology and Statistics that remain ideal for transfer to many four-year colleges.
The college ranks No. 1 in New Jersey for associate degree graduates. In January, First Lady Jill Biden and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited the college’s main campus to applaud the institution’s development of model student support services such as a reimagined one-stop student service center, a nationally recognized tutoring center and wellness resources.
Registration, meanwhile, has now opened for summer and fall classes, offering flexible start dates and on-campus and virtual options. To register, visit bergen.edu or the college’s locations in Paramus (400 Paramus Road), Lyndhurst (1280 Wall St. W.) and Hackensack (355 Main St.) For more information, call (201) 447-7200.
Students currently enrolled at other colleges may visit bergen.edu/visiting for more information on taking summer classes. Main campus tours take place every Tuesday and Thursday at 3 p.m. and begin at the information desk located in the Pitkin Education Center.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.