North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) is a progressive, comprehensive community college serving the residents of Floyd, Cerro Gordo, Hancock, Franklin, Mitchell, and Winnebago and Worth counties and parts of Chickasaw, Butler, Wright and Kossuth counties. The college was established in 1918 as Mason City Junior College and was the first two year public college in Iowa. The first classes of Mason City Junior College were held from the top floor of the high school building with a total of 28 students. In 1966, the General Assembly of Iowa passed a legislation for creating two-year post secondary educational institutions known as Merged Area Schools. Subsequently, Mason City Junior College was rechristened as North Iowa Area Community College (Merged Area II). In 1970, the college was shifted to a 300-acre site on the east of Mason City.

Presently, the campus of North Iowa Area Community College is spread over an area of 500 acres and comprises facilities such as the Student Activity Center, Muse-Norris Conference Center, Recreation Center, and Murphy Manufacturing Technology Center, and lake side student apartments. The college has an enrollment of approximately 3,700 students and it offers nearly 40 academic programs.

North Iowa Area Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.

Information Summary

Ranks 36th in Iowa and 2180th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	60.8
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$16,103
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	20 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	63% / 33%
Enrollment Total (all students)	2,995

Academics

North Iowa Area Community College offers academic/transfer programs, technical, and life enrichment training programs for the students.

Transfer Programs

North Iowa Area Community College offers the Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), and Associate in Science-Business (A.S.B.) degree programs for students who eventually want to transfer to a four year university or college for pursuing the baccalaureate degrees. The college offers the Associate in Arts degree programs in areas such as Accounting, Biology, Computer Science, Human Services, Wellness, Exercise Science, and Leisure Services, Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Art, Early Childhood Education, and Liberal Arts. The Associate in Science degree students can opt for numerous areas of specialization such as Physics – Applied, Supervision and Management, Sport Management, Marketing and Sales, General Business, Banking, Insurance, and Financial Management, Graphic Media Design, and Business/Information Systems Technology.

Career and Technical Education

North Iowa Area Community College also offers the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree for students who want to take up a profession directly after completing their course. Students opting for the A.A.S degree can major in areas such as Accounting, Radiologic Technology, Wellness, Exercise Science, and Leisure Services, Automotive Service Technology, Climate Control, and Industrial Technology.

North Iowa Area Community College offers various career-oriented diplomas and certificates for students who want to prepare for specific occupations, and those who want to upgrade their skills. The areas in which various certificate programs are offered include Accounting, Information Technology, Software Applications Specialist, Software Applications Skills, Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Certificate, Medical Transcription, Human Services, and Pharmacy Technician.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

North Iowa Area Community College follows an open-door admissions policy and anyone who is 18 years or above or who is a high school graduate or has a GED can seek admission in the college. Students who are less than 18 years can also seek admission and their cases are considered on a course-by-course basis. Students are required to fill the admission application form and specify their social security number and intended majors. They are required to submit their official high school transcripts/college records and ACT/SAT/COMPASS assessment scores.

Special Requirements

Some programs such as the Health Professions programs including Nursing, Practical Nursing, LPN to ADN, or Physical Therapist Assistant have selective application procedures.

International Applicants

International applicants seeking admission in North Iowa Area Community College are required to submit their official academic credentials and evidence of their proficiency in English by submitting their TOEFL scores. They need to provide a certificate of finances to demonstrate availability of funds to finance the education expenses for a year.

Financial Aid

North Iowa Area Community College provides financial aid to students to help them meet their academic expenses. The financial aid office provides information on aid eligibility, types of aides, and policies for federal, state, and institutional programs. North Iowa Area Community College offers financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and part-time employment.

Scholarships, Grants, and Loans

The need-based awards offered to eligible students are: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Iowa Vocational-Technical Grant, and Iowa Grant. Students can avail various loans such as Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan and Federal Direct Parent PLUS loans. Students can apply for numerous scholarship programs such as NIACC Foundation Scholarship, Christopherson Medical Scholarship, Charles City Scholarship, and Private/Community Based Scholarships. Students can also apply for work-study programs wherein they can seek in-campus and off-campus work-study positions.

FAFSA

To apply for financial aid from North Iowa Area Community College, students are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education. North Iowa Area Community College recommends a priority deadline of March 1 to apply for the financial aid.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 5867th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Iowa.

Students

The student life at North Iowa Area Community College offers various opportunities to ensure that learning occurs both within and outside the classrooms. The Student Access Office provides services such as early alert system for struggling students, mentoring programs for ensuring smooth transition from school to college, and tutoring services for students needing additional support. The college has a Counseling Center that provides guidance to the students in dealing with emotional problems, learning new skills, and working towards their goals.

North Iowa Area Community College library has a huge collection of books, media, and electronic books, subscriptions of national newspapers, North Iowa area newspapers, and periodicals. The NIACC Book Zone houses new and used text books, school supplies, gift items, greeting cards, and other merchandise.

Housing and Dining

North Iowa Area Community College offers housing facilities for 450 students. There is a residence hall located on the north end of the campus. The residence halls are coed and house men and women on alternating wings/floors. There are single and double occupancy rooms.

Dining facilities are available for the students at the Food Court and the food options include a choice of beverages, fresh from the bakery items, deli sandwiches, soup, salad and sandwich buffets, wraps, and pizzas.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Athletics

North Iowa Area Community College is a member of the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The men’s athletic teams compete in cross country, basketball, soccer, wrestling, track and field, golf, and baseball. The women athletes compete in basketball, cross country, softball, volleyball, track and field, and golf.

Bibliography

North Iowa Area Community College. NIACC Facts. Web. 24 December 2011.

North Iowa Area Community College. Current NIACC Majors. Web. 24 December 2011.

North Iowa Area Community College. General Catalog and Student Handbook 2011-2012. 2011. Print.

North Iowa Area Community College