SAN GABRIEL VALLEY -- Students scrambled to add classes Monday on the opening day of the fall semester at Citrus and Mt. San Antonio community colleges, as both schools reported slight increases in enrollment but fewer course offerings.

The state hike in fees from $11 to $18 per credit hour does not appear to be impacting the overall demand for community college courses, officials said.

Yet those willing to pay the higher price found themselves facing stiffer competition for high-demand classes.

Sophomores at both colleges said they fared well in getting the classes they wanted, but first-year students seemed to be having more of a struggle.

Students scanned class postings and prepared to sign waiting lists or plead with professors to add the classes they want.

"The classes are very crowded and I can't get the English class I need,' said Maureen Merino, 18, of Arcadia, who was looking at a wall filled with course listings in the admissions office at Citrus College in Glendora.

English is a must-have class for students planning to get a degree at Citrus or transfer to a four-year state university.

Ten students swarmed English Professor Jack Wood's 9 a.m. English 101 Reading and Comprehension class, attempting to get in.

"Should we get out books as if we're in the class?' asked student Jennifer Summers, 33, of San Dimas. "Do we have a good chance of getting in?'

Wood reassured students their chances are good, but suggested they hold off on buying their books at least until the end of this week.

Also on Monday morning, about 18 students were vying for a spot in biology professor Arnold Kondo's 10 a.m. class.

"It's jockeying for positions,' Kondo told his class. "You're going to have to make sacrifices here and there.'

Brittany Doan, 19, of Glendora and Julia Garner, 19, of Azusa, both sophomores in Kondo's class, said they pretty much got the classes they wanted.

"We're second-year students so we're on higher priority,' Doan said.

At the 15,000-student Rio Hondo College in Whittier, officials reported the usual opening-day chaos, such as parking snafus and long lines at the admissions office and the campus bookstore.

Yet Rio Hondo had no significant decrease in course offerings, officials said.

At Mt. SAC in Walnut, which has about 45,000 students in comparison to 11,000 at Citrus College, the pickings were slimmer.

Mt. SAC student Stephen Smith, 18, of Temple City, was looking through a course catalog because he was on waiting lists for three classes.

Smith came in second on a computer class waiting list and was able to squeeze into the class.

But he was not as optimistic about getting into history, where he stands 46 out of 50 on the waiting list.

"I have big gaps in between my schedule,' Smith said. "I'm not taking the classes I want.'

Crowded conditions were affecting students ready to leave the school.

Fatima Chavarria, 20, said she needs just one more class before transferring to Cal Poly Pomona.

But Cal Poly doesn't have openings until the spring, so she will have some down time in between colleges.

Mt. SAC is using waiting lists for the first time, said Nancy Rice, vice president of administrative services. Students used to petition teachers to add a class, but waiting lists are more fair.

"We told everyone if they're on a wait list chances are good they'll get the class,' she said.

More than 2,000 students are on waiting lists at Mt. SAC, officials said.

Upland resident Jon Sarafian, 18, said he tried signing up for English, math and architecture, but 90 percent of the classes are full.

"I'll get classes, but not the ones I want,' he said. "I'm going to start scheduling classes now for next semester.'