The community college system in the United States
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Transcript of The community college system in the United States
The community college system in the United States
Presented by Johan François
Introducing… Community Colleges in the USA
1,132 community colleges
~45% of all American students begin their higher education at community colleges
About 8 million students seek Associate degrees
About 5 million non-credit students attend community colleges
1,132 Community Colleges all over the United States
Community colleges are regionally accredited
Community College Concept
Provides the first 2 years of university education with transfer/articulation to universities for years 3&4 of the Bachelor’s degree.
Clear focus on teaching, student learning & success Variety of programs: College Transfer, HS completion,
Short-Term certificates, Professional & Technical, ESL,… Accessible and affordable
Diverse and inclusive
Structure of the US Education system Bachelor’s Degree
Year4 (Senior) Major Year3 (Junior) Major Transfer Associate’s Degree Year2 (Sophomore) General Education same
content
Year2 General Education
Year1 (Freshman) General Education
Year1 General Education
University Community College
2 options
Grade 12
General Education = English & Math + Humanities + Natural & Social Sciences + Arts+ pre-major courses
for a total of 90 credits, usually over 2 years
Community Colleges: A Strategic Choice
Lower tuition fees
Smaller class sizes
Professors are teachers, not researchers
Interactive teaching style + learn from your classmates
After graduating, transfer to 4-year college/university or work off-campus in a paid position for up to 12 months
Cost Comparison: Yearly International Student Tuition & Fees
Institution 2011-2012 Public Community College: Seattle Central Community College
US$ 9,484
Public University: University of Washington, Seattle
US$ 29,938
Public University: University of California – Los Angeles
US$ 35,564
Private University: Boston University
US$ 42,400
Private College: Whitman College
US$ 42,106
$18,968 + $59,876
You Save
$18,968 + $84,800
Seattle Central CC + University of Washington
Seattle Central CC + Boston University
CC-USA/AACC - The Voice of Community Colleges Globally!
Save $$ by attending a community college the first 2 years of
your university studies
$65,832
$40,908
Small classes At a university: mostly lectures average class size: as high
as 600
At a community college: average class size: 30-35 interactive classes learn from your
professors and classmates practice speaking English
Excellent faculty + small classes = quality learning
• Faculty hold advanced degrees in their field: Master’s degree & certification required
• Small classes provide opportunity for discussion
• Individual attention and support: teachers’ office hours & free tutoring available
• Learn from diverse classmates, too
• High engagement and high GPAs!
Work experience with Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Work off-campus in a paid
position for 12 months after completing degree/certificate
Not possible at a 4-year college/university until after graduating
Community Colleges: Other benefits
Admission 4x/year: fall, winter, spring, summer Open door policy Lower English proficiency requirements Many community colleges have ESL/Bridge programs
on site Community colleges often have merit-based
scholarships for international students
Excellent faculty + small classes = quality learning
Individual attention & support + low tuition
= most value for your money
High engagement & high GPAs + leadership opportunities
= pathway to the TOP U.S. Universities
Focus: 2+2 College Transfer program
& university transfer process
“Associate Degree Majors” ARTS
• Anthropology • Art History • Business/Int’l Business • Art, Drama, Music • Economics • Communications • Geography • History • Languages and Literature • Philosophy • Political Science • Psychology • Sociology
SCIENCES
• Astronomy • Biology • Chemistry • Computer Science • Environmental Science • Forestry • Geology • Mathematics • Oceanography • Physics • Wildlife Sciences • Zoology
•Basic Requirements: English & Math, for 15 credits •Visual, Literary & Performing arts: Humanities & Arts, for 15 credits •Individuals, Cultures & Societies: Social Sciences, for 15 credits •Natural World: Natural & Physical Sciences, Math, for 15 credits •Electives, including pre-major courses, for 30 credits •TOTAL: 90 credits
Bachelor’s Degree Curriculum
Year 1 Freshman Year 2 Sophomore
Curriculum: General Education, studied at a community college or 4 year institution.
Year 3 Junior Year 4 Senior
Curriculum: College Major, studied only at 4 year univ.
•TOTAL: 90 credits
•Basic Requirements: English & Math, 3 classes/15 cr.
•Visual, Literary & Performing arts: Humanities & Arts, 3 classes/15 cr. Choose between: Art; Journalism; Communication; Drama; English; Linguistics; Humanities; Literature; Music; American Sign Language; Chinese; French; German; Japanese; Russian; Spanish; Vietnamese.
•Individuals, Cultures & Societies: Social Sciences, 3 classes/15 cr. Anthropology; American Sign Language; American Ethnic Studies; Geography; Environmental Science; Psychology: History; Philosophy; Economics; Religion; Social Welfare; International Studies; Political Science; Sociology; Social Science; Women’s Studies.
•Natural World: Natural & Physical Sciences, Math, 3 classes/15 cr. Astronomy; Geology; Nutrition; Biology; Health; Oceanography; Chemistry; Material Science; Physics; Environmental Sciences; Meteorology; Astronomy; Botany; Nutrition; Nanotechnology; Speech & Hearing Sciences; Computer Science; Anthropology; Geography; Philosophy; Engineering; Psychology; Math.
•Electives, including pre-major courses, minimum 6 classes/30 cr.
•TOTAL: 90 credits
Associate’s Degree Curriculum
College Transfer Highlights About 2,700+ universities / 4-year schools to choose from
Quarterly academic advising and long range planning
College Transfer Center assists students in transferring their Associate degree to well-known universities.
International Student College Transfer Fairs
Pathway partnerships with universities throughout the country -- many offer scholarships to international students
Transfer Admission Guarantee agreements
Where can international community college students transfer?
Anywhere!
• In-state or out-of-state • Public or private • All ranking
Transfer options will mostly depend on a student’s • academic records (GPA & required major pre-requisites) • extra-curricular activities (clubs, leadership training, work
experience) • major / program of choice • financial capabilities (parents’ budget + scholarship offers) • living preferences
Note: No guarantee that an individual student can transfer to a specific university
Transfer Admission Guarantee Receive a conditional letter of admission from a 4-year university at the same time you are accepted to your community college! SCCD partners are: ✓University of Washington – Tacoma ✓Seattle University ✓Eastern Washington University ✓University of Alaska Fairbanks – College of Engineering and Mines ✓San Francisco State University ✓Montana State University ✓Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis ✓Johns Hopkins Carey Business School ✓Washington State University ✓California State University – Northridge ✓California State University – San Marcos ✓State University of New York – Oneonta ✓Western Washington University
Contact us / Get more information
Get a brochure; drop off your contact info Visit our website www.seattlecentral.edu/international
Email me at [email protected]
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