Salem Community College (SCC, Salem County College, SCC, Salem College) Academics and Admissions

Academics

Serving Salem County and the State of New Jersey, Salem Community College was founded in 1958 as the Salem County Technical Institute. In 1972 the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education granted approval to grant degree-awarding authority to the Technical Institute, and the name was officially changed to Salem Community College. Today this two-year public, community college is set on a main 11-acre campus in Carneys Point Township. Articulation agreements exist between Salem Community College and regional and national colleges and universities including Chestnut Hill College, Kaplan University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Wesley College, Wilmington University, and Strayer University.

At Salem Community College students may choose from associate’s degree granting and certificate programs in over 40 areas ranging from business to liberal arts, practical nursing, scientific glass technology, and technology. Two-year associate’s degrees include an associate in applied science, the associate in fine arts, the associate in science and the associate in arts. Certification programs last one year, and allied health careers and Specialist Series programs may vary in length. Various programs of study are designed to meet different student needs. Some are college transfer programs, and others focus on career preparation. Associate’s degree earning majors include, but are not limited to, exciting fields like biotechnology, journalism, computer graphic art, forensic science, nuclear energy technology and sports management. Certificate programs include business & paraprofessional management, emergency services, industrial design, personal trainer, web page design, and practical nursing. Allied Health Programs include diagnostic medical sonography, medical laboratory technology, medical radiography, nuclear medicine, respiratory radiography, and surgical technology. Students with an existing college background may earn Specialist Series Professional development Certificates for completing series of courses.

Additional programs of study include Adult Basic Education, General Education Development (GED), and English as a Second Language programs. Adult Basic Education (ABE) and General Education Development (GED) programs help adults either brush up on existing math, wiring or reading skills, or pass a test earning a high school diploma equivalency. The English as a Second Language, or ESL, program was designed for students who speak a language other than English as a native language. Students work on reading, writing, basic speaking and workplace skills. All ESL programs are free of charge. Noncredit and community education courses are available by way of the Department of Business and Community Partnerships. This department focuses on professional and personal development, customized training for local businesses, specialized training in county school districts, senior citizen’s courses, and youth programs.

Most Popular Fields of Study

Information Summary

Ranks 60th in New Jersey and 3347th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	45.5
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$7,070
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	28 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	66% / 40%
Enrollment Total (all students)	879

Admissions

Prospective students must begin the admissions process by filling out the admission application, available online, and submitting it to Enrollment Services with the nonrefundable application fee. Along with the application, students must include any official high school transcripts or a GED diploma, or, an official college or university transcript for transfer students. Each applicant must either provide satisfactory SAT scores, or take an Accuplacer placement exam, and submit proof of immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella. Any student attending full time must be vaccinated for hepatitis B within 60 days of registration.

Special admissions requirements apply for transfer and readmission students. Selective Admissions Programs may also have special program entrance requirements. Such programs currently experience limited space availability, and include the glass program, the nuclear energy technology program, and the practical nursing certificate and associate degree in nursing programs. To find out what additional requirements for admission apply, beyond SCC’s general admissions applications, students should contact Enrollment Services or contact the department directly.

Some students may qualify to earn Advanced Standing Admissions, where college credits are granted for competencies in areas related to SCC academic courses or programs. Credits are earned through the Credit by Examination Program or the College’s credit-for-work/life-experience program. Military service educational experiences, military occupational specialty experience, and non-collegiate organization’s courses, for example in business, industry, or professional organizations, may qualify as transfer credits. All transferred credits are accepted as recommended by the American Council on Education. College credit at SCC may also be earned from other programs like Advanced Placement Examination, work/life experience, credit by examination, and the college-level examination program.

High school students may participate in academy of biological and medical sciences, academy of engineering and technologies and academy of graphic design in multimedia technology course with the application fee and lab fees waived for courses taught off-campus. High school students may also enter into dual-credit agreements, advanced placement courses, the school-to careers program, Tech Prep, and the 12th-grade initiative Senior Options program.

Financial Aid

Financial aid awards are determined by a needs analysis form processed by SCC’s Financial Aid Office. All federal, state, private and institutional aid received by students must be processed by the Financial Aid Office. Students may qualify for gift aids like grants or scholarships, loans, and/or campus employment. In order to obtain Federal aid like the Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, and the PLUS loan program, interested students must fill out the FAFSA.

The State of New Jersey also offers the New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant, the New Jersey Part-Time Tuition Aid Grant, the Educational Opportunity Fund Grant, the New Jersey Bloustein Distinguished and Urban Scholars, the Garden State Scholars’ Program, the Public Tuition Benefits Program, NJ Stars I & II, School Counts!, and the New Jersey Class Loan Program. State and Federal Veterans’ Programs are also offered like the New Jersey National Guard tuition Credit Program and the Selected Reserve Educational Assistance Program. Students may also qualify for the Hope Scholarship Tax credit, or Senior Adult Policy aid for ages 60 and over.

Merit based aid is offered by way of SCC Scholarships for athletic talent and academic achievement. Other funding opportunities may include aid from the Veterans Administration, Social Security, the Job Training Partnership Act, the New Jersey Rehabilitation Commission, and private organizations. Applications for tuition scholarships are available from Student Services, and must be submitted by a specific date each year. Inquire with Student Services for specific information.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 5100th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in New Jersey.

Students

At SCC students are able to take advantage of the Student Services Department, offering assistance in areas like academic advising, admissions, financial aid, registration, student accounts, student activities and transfer advising. Student organizations are recognized by SCC in a variety of clubs and organizations, run through the Enrollment Services Specialist/Student Activities Coordinator in Student Services. Some such clubs and organizations include Chi Alpha Epsilon national honor society, the criminal justice club, the drama club, the Educational Opportunity Fund Club, the Multicultural Club, the Nursing Club, the Oak Singers, Phi Theta Kappa, Student Assembly, The Oakleaf student newspaper, and the Salem Glass Society. Other campus student activities include Adopt-A-Highway, community service, and student speaker symposiums.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Athletics

The Salem Community College green & white Oaks host a variety of men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports teams including men’s and women’s soccer, and basketball, men’s baseball, women’s softball, and co-ed golf. Competitive sports teams are affiliated with the National Junior College Athletic Association, and Region XIX Garden State Athletic Conference, and active recruiting is held all year round. Other fitness activities like volleyball, basketball, weight training and jogging are available to all students. Open recreation schedules for the DuPont Field House change throughout the year due to sports team training and special events.

Salem Community College