Gaston College (GC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Founded in 1963, Gaston College was established to serve the communities of Gaston and Lincoln counties. It is part of the North Carolina Community College System and offers a comprehensive education to it’s students through its learning divisions and the continuing education program. The three campuses – Dallas, Lincoln, and the Kimbrell and Textile Technology Center – offer associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates to its graduates. In addition to traditional classroom, online and hybrid classes are available to students who need greater flexibility in their school schedules.

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Information Summary

Ranks 61st in North Carolina and 1732nd overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	68.9
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$4,030
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	10 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	70% / 44%
Enrollment Total (all students)	5,362

Academics

The college houses five different academic divisions where associates, certificates, or diplomas are awarded:

Arts and Sciences
Business and Information Technology
Health and Human Services
Engineering and Industrial Technology
Economic and Workforce Development

University Center

Four-year and graduate level classes are now available in several academics tracks. Gaston has partnered with Appalachian State University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to help bring these classes to campus for students who wish to start earning credits towards a bachelor’s degree. Most of the classes are offered in the evening, since most who enroll in this program are working professionals wishing to advance their careers with a four-year degree.

Career and College Promise Program

This is a dual enrollment program, free of charge, to all eligible North Carolina high school students. This allows them to earn college credit and get a jump start on higher education. In order to help keep students vested in a particular learning track, there are three programs available: the Core 44 College Transfer Pathways, the Career and Education Pathways, and the Cooperative Innovative High School Pathway.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

To better serve the local community, the school has an open admissions policy. Applicants need to only possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent, although some programs may have their own special requirements. Students can apply for admission online.

Students should submit their high school or college transfer transcripts. Applicants should also submit ACT, SAT, ASSET, or COMPASS test scores. Students who have not completed one of these tests will be need to take a COMPASS placement test.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for students who need assistance paying for school. This aid is in the forms of grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs.

Students should begin by completing the Free Application for Student Aid, which can be done online. Financial aid is generally determined by need, rather can academic performance.

There are a number of state-supported programs that can help students pay for college. These include the North Carolina Student Incentive Grant; North Carolina Community College Grant; North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship; North Carolina Student Loan Program for Health, Science, and Mathematics; Nurse Education Scholarship Loan, Nurse Scholars Program; and Wachovia Technical Scholarship.

In addition, many students take advantage of the aid made available by the Gaston College Foundation Scholarships. There is a vast list of scholarships covering all kinds of different academic and extracurricular activity requirements. Before applying for a loan, be sure to check out the list of scholarships on the school’s website and applying for any that suit your interests.

Student Financial Aid Details

Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in North Carolina.

Students

This is a commuter college, with no students living on campus. Its main campus, in Dallas, North Carolina, is only 25 miles from Charlotte.

Even though this is a commuter campus there is still an active social scene with a number of student clubs and organizations. These include Compassion in Accounting, Educators of Tomorrow, Fine and Performing Arts Club, Gaston College Paralegal Club, Medical Assisting Club, Rotaract, and Society of Manufacturing Engineers Student Chapter No. 28. There are also chapters of Phi Beta Lambda and Psi Beta for those interested in Greek Life.

The campus houses a radio station, WSGE 97.1 FM, which students and residents of the community enjoy listening to.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Accreditation

Gaston is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Gaston College