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Do Community College Applicants Need to Take Enrollment Exams?
Learn about whether or not you may need to take an enrollment exam at your local community college, as well as the benefits these exams may provide to your academic career.

Most students hold the perception that community colleges do not require entrance exams. However, more and more students are surprised to learn that they must complete enrollment exams before they attend a community college class.

Although enrollment exams are not necessarily required for all students at every school, many community colleges have implemented enrollment exams to better place each individual student in the most appropriate class setting. If students struggle with their enrollment exams, then administrators can quickly step in to provide foundational support. Conversely, students who perform well on enrollment exams enjoy greater class choice privileges.

What are Enrollment Exams?

Enrollment exams are basic skills or subject tests implemented to determine a student’s incoming knowledge in each content area. For example, at Queensborough Community College (QCC), located in Bayside, New York, all students must be completely proficient in specific areas of reading, writing, and math. To guide students, QCC has a specialized campus Testing Services Center. Here, the administrators of QCC allow students to partake in three different types of tests: placement exams for new freshmen, exit exams for students completing remediation programs, and proficiency exams that are required for graduation.

According to QCC, these exams help determine if students need remediation before entering college courses. If a student is found to be struggling, as revealed by his or her exam results, QCC provides students with an array of support

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How to Earn Your GED and College Degree Simultaneously

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How to Earn Your GED and College Degree Simultaneously
This comprehensive guide explores how students can earn their GED and college degree simultaneously through community college programs. It discusses the economic benefits, admission requirements, and steps to enroll in such programs, providing valuable information for those seeking to advance their education and career prospects.

How to Earn Your GED and College Degree Simultaneously

  • For many Americans, withdrawing from high school before graduation leads to several closed doors.
  • Without a high school degree, most Americans have traditionally been unable to pursue higher education and obtain specific jobs.
  • The bottom line is that a high school diploma or equivalency and some college coursework are necessary to make a decent living.
  • Fortunately, community colleges across the country are striving to provide more programs to cater to the needs of non-high school graduates.

Upon earning one’s GED, students can enroll in community college to pursue a variety of career and college degree opportunities. Sometimes, a GED and a college degree can be sought simultaneously.

Canva generated this picture of a community college student.

The Short Path Without College

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, individuals who have not earned their high school degree stand to earn far less than individuals who have earned their high school diploma, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or other advanced degrees or training.

  • In fact, statistics show that high school graduates make, on average, over $7,000 more per year than workers who did not complete high school. Additionally, workers with an associate’s degree make about $7,000 more annually than those with a high school diploma.
  • With reduced wages, pay, and benefits, individuals who do not graduate from high school are at a considerable economic and
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How Community Colleges are Cutting Costs with New Resources

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How Community Colleges are Cutting Costs with New Resources
Learn about how community colleges across the nation are reducing their campus costs by incorporating eco-friendly and green technologies.

To mitigate the soaring costs of a college education, schools are striving to dramatically cut back on expenses in order to provide more affordable tuition for students. Fortunately, although educational costs are on the rise, new technologies are serving to fight back the expenses!

With an array of new tools and resources that can help lower a school’s energy and maintenance costs, community colleges across the country are embracing newer and revolutionary methods on their campuses.

How Green Technologies are Cutting the Costs of Community College

One of the fundamental ways in which schools are striving to save dollars on the costs of community college operations is through the implementation of solar energy. Specifically, as evident at North Shore Community College, located in Lynn, Massachusetts, leaders are installing new solar panels on the roof of one of its prominent campus building. With this innovative installation, these solar panels will help produce 3 percent of the school’s entire energy needs. Ultimately, this energy production will equate to approximately 74,726 kW each year! With both federal and state-funded support, North Shore is optimistic that their solar panels will help to cut costs and ecological wastes for all students on campus.

In addition to specifically implementing solar energy plans, many schools are striving to create a more holistic approach to going green to save money. For example, according to Green California Community College Summit, leaders are creating informative programs and seminars to teach community college students and faculty

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Careers: Environmental Science & Sustainability

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Careers: Environmental Science & Sustainability
Discover how community colleges are playing a vital role in preparing students for a sustainable future through specialized programs, hands-on experiences, and comprehensive coursework. Learn about the diverse range of careers in environmental sustainability, from renewable energy and green technology to conservation and resource management. Whether you're a recent high school graduate, a career changer, or someone looking to make a positive impact on the planet, community colleges provide the perfect pathway to embark on a fulfilling career in environmental sustainability.

As the government is now offering tax cuts and financial incentives for companies and individuals to “go green,” community college students are finding incredibly vast opportunities in the fields of environmental safety and studies.

The economy is predicting a new rise in “green collar workers,” and subsequently, more students are preparing for jobs in the field of renewing resources, eliminating corporate and facility emissions, and other “green” career avenues. If you want to enter a greener career path, consider starting at your local community college.

This video offers an overview of careers in sustainability.

Green Energy Careers

As the Los Angeles Times reports, the new studies in climate change and global warming are inspiring a whole new range of careers and collegiate studies; “Concern about climate change is galvanizing more undergraduate students to turn toward a subject involving science and engineering.”

In fact, many college students feel confident that an environmental educational pathway will lead to an array of job opportunities upon graduation. As President Obama is proposing a multibillion-dollar push to stimulate clean energy standards, the President is striving to improve the environment while also hoping to create millions of new “green collar” jobs.

Presenting that college engineering programs have dropped over 5 percent from 2003 to 2005, Obama argues that new environmental studies and engineering careers will be the key to boosting the country’s economic recovery. To help students pursue this

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Does Your Community College Allow Guns on Campus?

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Does Your Community College Allow Guns on Campus?
Learn about the new proposals and regulations that may allow students to carry handguns on community college campuses.

How safe are you on your community college’s campus? Many students have begun to express concern regarding their safety on campus, especially during off-peak hours.

For example, to take a night course at a community college, students are typically forced to either enter or leave class after sunset. With less light visibility and decreased crowds on campus in the evening, some students feel concerned about violence.

As a result, many students assert that they his video looks must take extra measures to ensure that they are well-protected. In light of this argument, some community college campuses are beginning to permit the carrying of personal handguns on campus.

This video looks at the question of students having guns on campus.

The Debate over College Campus Gun Regulations

Currently, most community college campuses do not allow the possession of a concealed handgun on campus. However, according to The Facts publication, college students in the state of Texas, who are above the age of 21, are now permitted to carry a gun on college campuses!

According to reports, in light of the public school and college violence in recent years, many students feel less protected when they’re attending classes. Specifically, upon the violent attacks on the Virginia Tech campus in 2007, many students began to protest school policies to fight for their right to carry a gun for protection. As 32 people were killed

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