Student Right To Know
The 1990 Federal Student Right to Know Act requires colleges and universities to report to prospective and current students the persistence and graduation rates of full-time technical- certificate and degree-seeking students. The graduation rate is based upon program completion within 150 percent of time usually required for a full-time student. For technical certificate students, this is the number of full-time students graduating in three semesters. For associate degree students, this is the number of students graduating in six semesters. Contact the Ivy Tech Community College Office of Institutional Research or visit IvyTech.edu/institutionalresearch under the Graduate Rates section for further information.
Students may test-out of required coursework through several ways, including Prior Learning Assessment , course test-outs, College Level Examination Program tests, etc.
Students may request copies of their Ivy Tech transcripts in several ways.
- MyIvy click on the Request Official Transcripts on the Advising page.
- Students will have two options mailed transcripts or electronic transcripts.
- Requests for mailed transcripts are usually processed to be mailed the next business day.
- Requests for electronic transcripts are usually fulfilled within a few hours of the request.
Begin Your Bachelors Degree At A Community College: 2 + 2 Agreements
2 years at a community college + 2 years at a university = 4 years
Many American studentsand 90,000 international studentsattend a community college for the first two years of university studies in the USA. With nearly 1,200 community colleges in the country, there are many benefits of this model in comparison to studying all four years at a university. Community colleges offer significantly lower tuition, smaller classes and strong student support. And oftentimes, they serve as pathways to prestigious four-year universities.
One of the great strengths of American higher education is the ease with which students can transfer from one college or university to another. For students who plan to earn a bachelors degree the transition from community college to a university for the final two years can be quite easy. Students will attend a community college to complete lower division general education requirements and then transfer to a university. There, they can take upper division courses and thereby complete a bachelors degree. Such an approach is commonly known as 2 + 2, though it may take more than four years to complete all of the courses required for a bachelors degree.
2 years at a community college + 2 years at a university = 4 years
You Already Know This Stuff
Are you taking this summer class to re-take a class that you didnt do too well in last fall? Well it may be disappointing for you to have to re-take the class, but the good newsno the great newsis that it should be easier the second go around, as youll already be somewhat familiar with the material. Ummmassuming you didnt sleep through all the lectures the first time, of course.
By Allison Ouradain College on May 28, 2015
Now that youve finished your spring semester, Im sure the last thing that you want to hear about is summer school. After all, why would you want to sacrifice any of your freedom to take more classes? However, summer classes can be a great opportunity to earn credits in a relatively short period of time. Here are some pros and cons to taking summer classes.
Pros
Cons
Summer classes are not for everyone, but you may be surprised to discover how helpful they can be. Do you have any tips or information about summer classes? Leave them in the comments below!
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Rules Of Conduct Regarding Drugs Alcohol Tobacco And Firearms
Drugs
The College prohibits possession, manufacture, sale, distribution, or use of illegal drugs, any controlled substance, or drug paraphernalia on College property. This may also include being under the influence of illegal drugs or unauthorized controlled substances. Violations of this policy will be managed by the Student Disciplinary Procedures outlined in the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities at IvyTech.edu/studentcode.
Alcohol
Ivy Tech prohibits public intoxication, use, or possession of alcoholic beverages on College property or at unauthorized College events off-campus or providing or possessing alcohol contrary to law. The College may sanction a student for the unauthorized possession, use, or supplying of alcoholic beverages to others contrary to law or college policy. Violations of this policy will be managed by the Student Disciplinary Procedures outlined in the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities at IvyTech.edu/studentcode.
Tobacco
Ivy Tech seeks to provide students, faculty, staff, and guests with a healthy and comfortable environment and prohibits the use or sale of tobacco or smoking related products on College property. Tobacco and smoking related products include all tobacco-derived or tobacco containing products, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, smokeless tobaccos, oral and nasal tobaccos, and any product intended to mimic tobacco products. View the Smoking and Tobacco Use Policy at IvyTech.edu/files/9.11-Smoking-Tobacco-Use-Policy.pdf.
Kinds Of Credentials Offered
The first question is what kind of degree youre working toward. Community colleges generally offer certificates, diplomas, and associates degrees. Not sure where to start when choosing an online community college? Check out our Top 50 ranking of Online Community Colleges in the United States.
Certificate programs typically take a few weeks or months to complete. Certificates are usually awarded for a particular set of courses that are highly focused on one particular skill or career. An HVAC certificate program, for instance, gives students the basics in working as an HVAC technician. Common certificates are in trades , computers , or health . They certify that someone is capable of doing a specific job, but are generally only good for an entry-level position.
Diploma programs are usually designated as one-year programs, because that is the amount of time it would take on a conventional, full-time schedule. A diploma is also specific, and goes into more depth than a certificate, but it does not have the general liberal education courses that a degree would include. An RN diploma, for instance, is enough credential to take the NCLEX exam to earn a registered nursing license, taking only courses related to nursing .
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The Best Classes To Save For Summer If You Want To
Get the easy stuff out of the way
Pre-requisite classes or electives can be a nuisance during semesters full of tougher coursework. Some students use online summer courses to knock out these classes to keep their fall and spring semester schedule less cluttered. When you enter the fall semester, youll be able to concentrate on the heavy lifting.
- 1 or 101 Level classes
- Anthropology
- Physical education
I took speech, interpersonal communications, Spanish 1, macroeconomics and Pharmacology for Technicians over the different summers I was enrolled in . I like to take the harder classes during the fall/spring when youre not on abbreviated sessions.Pharmacist, Student Doctor Network
Take classes that are too popular to get into during the regular semester
One of the great things about summer sessions is that there is far less competition for the courses that tend to fill up quickly during the regular semester. Many students use the summer to finally take an online class that always seems to be closed in the fall or spring.
- Astronomy
- Literature
- Niche topic courses
Scan 50W is way easier to get in the summer.University of California Los Angeles Student, UCLA Reddit
Use the time to explore something new or fun
Take lab-mandatory classes that have heavy workloads or are tricky to schedule
- Biology
Drawback #: They Can Be Expensive
Most students do not have to pay for the classes they take in high school, and it can be difficult to afford the tuition required for college classes. Even though community college classes are typically less expensive than regular 4-year colleges, tuition is still usually at least $100 per credit hour, which means taking one community college class can cost several hundred dollars or more.
Sometimes high schools will pay for their students to take community college classes, especially if they dont offer a particular class themselves. Ask your academic adviser what your schools policy is for covering the costs of community college classes. If they do help with costs, this can save you thousands of dollars!
However, if your high school doesnt cover community college costs, be sure to choose your community college classes carefully so you know you are getting the best value for your money. Also, if your high school offers a similar course, such as an AP class, you may want to consider taking that instead.
Taking community college classes may mean you have to pay tuition fees and other expenses.
Read the sections below to learn more about how to make smart decisions when taking community college classes and minimize negative impacts.
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To Minimize The Financial Burden
I’ve mentioned a few times that community colleges tend to be less expensive than 4-year colleges. Exactly how much less expensive are they?
According to the National Center for Education, the average community college cost for a year was $9,574 in 2013. While this is a significant sum, it’s less than half of the average for 4-year schools of $23,872.
In addition to saving money on tuition, community college students are eligible for financial aid, including federal grants, federal loans, state aid, and institutional aid. Plus they may be able to choose evening, weekend, or online classes that allow for a part-time or full-time job.
Students considered “in-state residents” get in-state tuition, which is why most community college students choose schools close to home . If they transfer to a state school through an articulation agreement, then they further save money with in-state tuition. Ultimately, their diploma comes from the institution from which they graduated, same as any student who attended for four straight years.
Now that we’ve gone over the main reasons that students attend community college, let’s go over how you can apply!
Do as the Atlantic puffins do. Take things one step at a time.
How Long Do Community Colleges Keep Transcripts
Community colleges keep extensive records of their students, including transcripts documenting their academic career at that school. But the length of time transcripts are kept varies from school to school. Whether you need a transcript because you are transferring to a new school, applying for a job, or just need proof of your academic career, contact your community college about the procedure for obtaining your transcript.
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Hours And Hours Of Reading
Are you a slower reader, like me? Or does reading put you to sleep in less time than it takes you to turn the page? If so, you may want to avoid taking that Shakespeare course this summer or any other class with a ton of reading on its syllabus. You dont want to fall behind on your homework because of simply having too much reading and too little time. If reading too slowly is often a problem for you, you may want to learn the art of speed-reading.
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Why Should I Care How My Bachelors Degree Is Structured
If youre planning to let an over-worked and underpaid college advisor hand you a pre-made plan which tells you exactly what to do, what to take, and how much money to waste by going to college the traditional way, then you really dont need to know how your bachelors degree is structured. Go ahead and sign up and complete your courses. You will walk away with a decent education, but youll just have spent a lot more time and money getting it than you otherwise could have.
If, on the other hand, youre interested in outsmarting the college system , then understanding how your degree is structured is absolutely invaluable.
Why? Because one of the best ways to save money on college is by transferring credit. Theres a myriad of ways to earn college credit that will save you thousands of dollars on your degree. Community college, CLEP, DSST, and affordable online courses are just a few examples. Trust me, if you want to save money on college, the best thing you can do is understand what exactly you need to graduate and find a way to earn that credit somewhere else. Then, once youve earned as much credit outside of your chosen college as possible, transfer it all in to complete the degree.
Doing college this way may sound a little unorthodox, and it is. But trust me. Weve helped thousands of students graduate debt free using this simple method. It works.
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What Can Community Colleges Offer To Students
Most community colleges offer two-year Associate’s degree programs in a wide variety of academic and pre-professional fields. A growing number also offer Bachelor’s degrees, though most of these programs are relatively new and limited in options.
People who run community colleges know that not every student wants to stop at their Associate’s degree in fact, many students attend community college to earn credits and transfer to a four-year college. To ease this transition, lots of community colleges have “articulation agreements” with their local state school system.
These agreements allow a student to transfer credits smoothly from community college and enter as a junior in a 4-year program. Students can also apply to schools outside of this agreement, but they may need to put a bit more individual effort into making sure their credits will transfer.
This plan, often referred to as a “2 + 2” plan, can have serious financial benefits. Community colleges tend to be more affordable than 4-year institutions, and their flexible class times make it easier for students to work part-time or even full-time jobs.
Most community colleges are open access, meaning that all students can enroll . Many students appreciate the typically small class sizes and attentive professors, who tend to spend most of their time teaching rather than doing research, as with many of their counterparts at research universities.
It’s always good to clarify your reasons before taking a big leap.
Ferpa And Student Rights
Ivy Tech maintains an educational record for each student who is or has been enrolled at Ivy Tech. In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 , as amended, the following student rights are covered by the act and afforded to all students at Ivy Tech:
- The right to inspect and review information contained in the students educational records.
- The right to challenge the contents of the students educational records.
- The right to a hearing if the outcome of the challenge is unsatisfactory.
- The right to submit an explanatory statement for inclusion in the educational record if the outcome of the hearing is unsatisfactory.
- The right to prevent disclosure, with certain exceptions, or personally identifiable information.
- The right to secure a copy of the institutional policy.
- The right to file complaints with the Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Ivy Tech to comply with the provisions of the act. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:Family Policy Compliance Office400 Maryland Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20202
Each of these rights, with any limitations or exceptions, is explained in the FERPA policy at IvyTech.edu/files/ferpa.pdf.
Parent/Spouse/Other Individual Access to Student Records
You can learn more about these areas at https://www.in.gov/che/4628.htm.
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New Material Is Difficult
As youve probably already discovered by now, learning new subjects can be tough! If you sign up for that exciting summer astronomy course, for example, you may be shocked to find out that its not all about gazing at the stars and memorizing the constellations .
There is some legit new stuff youll have to learn to master astronomy, so dont get too excited about jumping on a mission to Mars just yet. First youre going to need to figure out the difference between absolute and apparent magnitude and learn how to calculate escape velocity!
Classes youve never taken before can be very challenging since all the material is brand newunlike the universe, which is 13.77 billion years old .
University Of Southern California Will Partially Defund Its Police After Nearly Year
The University of Southern California has heard the pleas of student and faculty activists and will partially defund its campus police department. The private university unveiled multiple police recommendations on July 28 in a 80-page safety report after the school’s police received heightened scrutiny from the campus.
The College Fix
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To Figure Out What They Want To Study
On a similar note, a year or two in community college can be a good way to figure out what exactly you want to study. Rather than jumping into college feeling unsure about their direction, some students take community classes to explore their options. Since community colleges tend to be a lot less financially burdensome, they make this kind of exploration more feasible.
While most community colleges want students to apply to a specific track of study, they do allow you to switch if you want to pursue a different field of study. If you’re planning to transfer, you’d just want to work closely with your advisor to ensure that you’re earning the right credits for a future Bachelor’s degree major.
Community colleges tend to be a lot less expensive than 4-year schools, as any financial advisor/ceramic pig worth his weight in pennies will tell you.