Take advantage of Student Wellness Centers!

Many parents and students are scheduling tours in the upcoming months to take advantage of spring break as well as other free days. These tours are excellent opportunities to see the campus and check out the culture. I'll have more on this in future posts...however, I want to focus on Student Wellness Centers (or clinics).

What about student wellness and health care options? When you are visiting a campus, be sure to inquire about student health and wellness opportunities. Smaller schools may not offer a student clinic, but will likely (or should) offer some counseling. Counseling is different than academic advising...while they may share the same office space, the focus is different.

Academic advisors are the course planners, the go-to's for information on scheduling courses and mapping an academic plan for graduation and/or transfer. Counselors offer mental health care which may include wellness workshops, meditation, relaxation, social events or any variety of things focused on the student's mental well-being. Both are important to student success!

What about health care services? Larger schools may provide walk-in services in a Student Wellness Center or even an on-site nurse, nurse practitioner or medical staff. For students not tied to a sport or in the athletic department, these clinics provide a variety of accessible services and most handle insurance payments, even if out of state. I highly encourage parents and students to learn more about the on-campus options in the event a medical need arises. These needs may be minor like a small cut, a sprain or need for over the counter medicine for pink-eye. In the interest of keeping the student body healthy, as well as staff, faculty and support personnel, these clinics are significant to academic success. AND....you pay for it with your tuition and fees!

During your college visit, ask for a breakdown of how fees are allocated on campus. Likely, there are athletic fees to attend sporting events or there may be tech fees to use computers on campus or special equipment in the library. There may be recycling, textbook, special course AND medical/clinic fees, among others. If there are medical/clinic fees, be sure to take advantage of all the offerings which may include massages during finals week, contraceptive access (most are free), band-aids, cough drops/masks, hand sanitizer...you get the idea. Be sure to investigate all of the "hidden benefits" on your college tours - it may save you additional money!

Why attend a community college?

Curious about the benefits of a community college? You are not alone...there are lots of benefits and 118,000 MORE students discovered those in 2023. In the fall of 2023, community colleges experienced a 2.6% increase according to the National Student Clearing House.

While all institutions of higher education some sort of increase, post COVID, the increase enrollment at community colleges is noteworthy. Full disclosure - I work at a community college as full-time faculty and I absolutely love my job, my colleagues and the students.

For some students, a community college provides lots of advantages to accomplish career goals. First, community colleges offer lower tuition and fees than most four year institutions. Most recently, many colleges are offering students within their district FREE tuition when they enroll and attend full-time. Some other restrictions may apply, but in-district high school graduates generally meet these. By attending a community college, students can save money (financial aid or self-pay) to put towards their coursework at a transfer institution. In most cases, the savings will also offset significant costs of graduate school. So, if you are considering a career in psychology or social work, both tracts require a Masters Degree, or similar credential, to practice in the field. Starting at a community college saves money that will pay for graduate work.

Second, most community colleges offer a transfer agreement or articulation agreement with four year institutions. These agreements guarantee that credits completed at the community college will transfer and some may even guarantee admission to the transfer school! While the agreements require a certain GPA and completion, they may not be enough for Ivy League or top-ranked schools which are competitive regardless of academic path. For education, many community colleges are offering transfer programs or 2+2 degrees where the student completes all general education requirements then transfers directly into the school of education to earn the appropriate degree and certification.

Third, perhaps my favorite: small class sizes and AMAZING faculty support. While I can only speak for my school, I know at other community colleges where I have worked, the student-to-faculty ratio is low and many faculty really enjoy helping students take the next step in their careers. Again, speaking for myself, I personally advise transfer students in political science and write letters of recommendation for internships, fellowships and more. My colleagues lead the Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa where they directly impact student's academic success as well as mentor based on personal experience. We all assist students in getting accepted to their desired transfer school and have many who now attend the University of Michigan, DePaul University, Central Michigan, Grand Valley State and many more. In contrast, many students will not have direct faculty advisement or mentorship during the undergraduate years at a four-year institution - only when accepted into a program and upper-level courses will students have more access to tenured faculty.

Finally, campus life still exists and it may be more accessible to students. Many community colleges offer residence halls so freshmen still get the "college life" experience. The experience at a community college would mirror a smaller school with a residence hall. It's easier to meet people and yes, there are still athletic programs if students wish to play collegiate sports. There are likely MORE activities as well because it is easier to plan and advertise to the campus community where larger schools generally attract one dorm or one program. Clubs and organizations exist as well - Phi Theta Kappa is an honor society focused on transfer students, the National Society for Leadership and Success is a professional development program at many schools and there is also simulation opportunities like Model UN or state government. There is no shortage of student activities at a community college, don't be fooled!

If you are on the fence about a four-year, I would definitely recommend you check out a local community college in your area. While Ivy Tech does not offer any residence facilities in Indiana, these nearby schools do: Marian University - Ancilla College, Southwestern Michigan College and of course, my favorite, Lake Michigan College. Go Red Hawks!

Students, is Dual Enrollment Worth It?

Lots of things happen in spring...college admissions letters are mailed out, high school seniors are finishing their last semester, incoming freshmen are being asked to supply transcripts and parents everywhere are a little overwhelmed. I feel this so much as a mom to a senior this year!

One of the to-do items is providing transcripts and this includes anything from a higher education institutions - cue the dual enrolled students. If you completed college coursework while enrolled as a high school students, you will need to provide the official college transcripts for evaluation at the incoming institution.

Here are some key things to remember:

• You are not considered a transfer student even though you have college-credit. Some terms you may hear thrown around include "incoming freshman with xx amount of credits" or "first year student but considered a sophomore," etc.

• Your college or university will evaluate your transcripts and apply any college credit earned to your academic progress. If you participated in a program that guaranteed a certain number of credits will transfer when a "degree/program" is completed (in Indiana this is the Core 40 with Ivy Tech), be sure to follow up with the registrar to verify everything was applied correctly.

• An advisor may assist in your credit transfer by putting the course credits in the right buckets or categories towards the bachelor's degree. Most schools have the same categories, but some may differ and number of credits required to complete before registering for upper-division courses. These categories may be: Humanities, Social Science, Math, Natural Science, and more. Your Political Science course may not be added to the Social Science category until have completed two or three from different disciplines...the bottom line here: Check with your gaining institution!

Things to consider if you are considering dual enrollment (cue the high school freshmen & sophomores):

• Do you know the top three schools you intend to apply to? If so, reach out (or have a college consultant like me) and contact the school admissions office to verify what credits, how many and how those credits will be applied if accepted into the institution or program. Some top tier schools only allow 6 credits of AP to transfer and 12 credits from a dual enrolled program; out of state schools often do not accept an associates degree in its entirety.

• Do you know the program you intent to complete at one or all of your top three schools? This is kind of a big one...If the goal is to get into a pre-professional program (pharmacy?) or something like engineering where there are several sub-fields, I recommend reviewing the program plan to verify the courses needed. While a dual-enrolled program may require certain courses on their end, those same courses may not be required at the incoming institution and could be a waste. For example, if the pre-professional program does not require three years of a foreign language, but the guaranteed degree for transfer does...consider if that third year is necessary. Would it be better to take college-level statistics with a smaller class and well-liked instructor instead of completing at transfer school with larger class sizes and an unknown instructor?

• Do you know what your senior year will look like if you start a dual enrolled program? Parents, time to take a hard look at your kid(s) and their course load, extracurriculars and social life. By the time they get to their last year of high school, they should have an appropriate self-awareness of healthy work/life boundaries. Helping students decide their courses in high school and managing time to study, work (if necessary), compete in athletics, and spend time with friends are required skills. When students who are over-scheduled and unable to set their own boundaries in high school get to college, they may struggle. I see it all the time and we have freshmen burnout...leads to repeated courses, taking time off, and unwanted stress.

My best advice regarding dual-enrollment, gather all the information you can! Speak to the high school advisor, find friends who have completed the program and contact the intended transfer institutions. College consultants, like myself, are well-versed in this process as well. Feel free to reach out an schedule a FREE consult with me...