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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