Schoolcraft College (SC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Schoolcraft College is a small community college in Livonia, Michigan. The school also has an additional campus in Garden City, Michigan for those students who cannot make the commute to Livonia. Schoolcraft is a two-year college with associate’s degrees and career certification programs for its students. Many of the students who graduate from Schoolcraft College choose to immediately transfer to a four-year institution and continue pursuing a bachelor’s degree or even a master’s degree.

The school was originally known as the Northwest Wayne County Community College. This name, however, proved to be a problem as it was too long for many Michigan residents to easily recall. The school changed its name to Schoolcraft College in the early 1960s. The name Schoolcraft came from a famed geologist named Henry Schoolcraft who studied Native American linguistics to give many Michigan cities and counties their names. Many residents, board members, faculty members, and students, however, objected to the proposed name. Several thought that out-of-towners would mistakenly think that Schoolcraft College was associated with the Village of Schoolcraft in Southwest Michigan. The word “community” was dropped from the school’s name to avoid this possibility.

The college is relatively new to the Michigan area and only recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. However, its unique programs and beautiful campus have quickly cemented it as a lasting institution in the state of Michigan.

Information Summary

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Overall Score (about)	Insufficient Data
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$5,332
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	31 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	N/A / N/A
Enrollment Total (all students)	9,895

Academics

Because Schoolcraft is only accredited as a two-year institution, it does not offer bachelor’s degree courses or any other higher education courses. Students who attend Schoolcraft College can seek an associate’s degree in several different liberal arts fields or seek career certification for job placement in fields that do not require a great deal of post-secondary education.

The associate degree programs at Schoolcraft College are designed to be completed in only four or five semesters. Students who opt to attend Schoolcraft College on a full-time basis will most likely complete this degree in two years. Those who attend Schoolcraft College during the summer and test out of classes with Advanced Placement courses may be able to complete an associate’s degree in less than two years.

Career associate’s degrees are programs at Schoolcraft that are designed to assist a student in securing a full-time employment position immediately after graduating with an associate’s degree. Many students who cannot afford four years of college opt to complete a career associate’s degree. Others, however, opt to complete a transfer associate’s degree. This degree program is specifically designed to be easily transferrable to a four-year post-secondary institution.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Unique Programs

Schoolcraft College also offers a wide variety of skills courses and career certification courses. Skills courses are offered for individuals who already have a post-secondary degree or a full-time career and simply need to take a few courses at a post-secondary level to learn a job-related skill. Computer courses are the most common form of skills course offered at Schoolcraft.

Students who choose to complete a career certification program can often do so in as little as one year. Schoolcraft College offers career certification programs in accounting services, small business management, small business marketing, graphic design, child care and much more. These career paths often do not require a four-year or even two-year degree and students can find a job with only a year of college credit.

Schoolcraft College is noteworthy for its extensive culinary arts program. With four Master Chef’s on staff at Schoolcraft College, this institution has the highest instructor to student ratio of any culinary program in the country. Students will be exposed to a wealth of instruction, technique and theory and will graduate as culinary artists.

Admissions

The application process at Schoolcraft College is very simple with the online application form available on the school’s official webpage. Students may fill out and submit the application online, or they may opt to print out the application and mail it in or visit the Admission Office on campus and fill out an application there.

Applications are available for a wide variety of students. Students who are eighteen years of age or older and have graduated high school are welcome to apply at Schoolcraft. The school suggests sending an official copy of a student’s high school transcript as well as any standardized test scores so that academic advisors can help the student choose the appropriate classes for his or her academic level.

Admission is also available for students who did not graduate from high school. Often, an equivalency tests such as the GED may be required. However, some Schoolcraft College courses may not require a GED test. High school students may attend a select number of classes at Schoolcraft College if they present a recommendation from their high school teacher or principal.

Financial Aid

Students who reside in the local community around Schoolcraft College will receive significant tuition discounts when they enroll in school full-time. However, financial aid is available for out-of-town or even out-of-state residents who choose to enroll at Schoolcraft College. The Financial Aid office on campus is equipped with staff members who can help students apply for government grants and loans as well as private scholarships and private loans.

Students will most likely be required to fill out a FAFSA. This government form is an assessment of a student’s financial situation and helps the government estimate the cost of school attendance and a student’s expected family contribution. After this form is received and processed, a student will be informed about the options available for government and private student financial aid.

Student Financial Aid Details

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Local Community

College students who choose to attend Schoolcraft College but are not familiar with the state of Michigan may be in for a rude surprise. Michigan is known for its bitter cold winters, and the school’s website advises students to pack warmly for the end of the fall semester and the beginning of the spring semester.

Students at Schoolcraft College, however, should not imagine that they will be lost in a frozen wasteland. In fact, Livonia, Michigan is a suburb of the bustling metropolis of Detroit, and this large city offers countless opportunities for students.

Known as the Motor City, Detroit is the traditional location of the automobile industry and industrial forward thinking that revolutionized the United States of America. Today, Detroit is an industrial and recreational tourist stop because of its ties to the automobile industry and Motown music. Students can explore the music museums, visit the many shopping centers, or experience fine dining that Detroit has to offer.

Bibliography

Christoff, Chris, and Lori Higgins. “House OKs More Degrees for Community Colleges.” Detroit Free Press 17 Sept. 2010, sec. A: 13. Print.

“Culinary School Connections – Schoolcraft College.” Foodservice.com: A Community and Social Network for Restaurant Business and Foodservice – News, Food and Beverage, Restaurant Jobs. Foodservice.com, 2011. Web. 20 May 2011. <http://www.foodservice.com/schools/schoolcraft/>.

Schoolcraft College. Schoolcraft, 2011. Web. 20 May 2011. <http://www.schoolcraft.edu>.

Schoolcraft College