The Auburn School District in Auburn, Washington began an evening program for adults who wished to further their education in the mid 1940s. Over time, this program grew into what is now the Green River Community College (GRCC). Today, the college has a large, diverse student body and operates additional campuses in two other Washington cities.
| Overall Score (about) | 51.1 |
| Total Cost On-Campus Attendance | $4,923 |
| Admission Success rate | N/A |
| Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty | 33 : 1 |
| Retention (full-time / part-time) | 62% / 48% |
| Enrollment Total (all students) | 8,471 |
GRCC is a two-year schooling program that allows students to either transfer credits to a four-year university or graduate with a vocational degree or career certification and immediately begin a chosen career. This structure of education is quickly gaining popularity among thousands of students nationwide. Traditional post-secondary education is often difficult or not affordable for many students, and a two-year transition program can provide students with the skills and education needed to succeed in a four-year program.
An associate degree is typically used as a university transfer degree at most two-year institutions. With an associate degree, students can enter a four-year program with a head start, uniquely prepared to excel in a bachelor’s degree program. Green River strives to ensure that all of its university transfer program students are adequately prepared for transfer upon completion of the associate degree.
Many students seek an associate degree in one of GRCC’s numerous science-related degree programs. With these programs, students can choose from a variety of different career paths and enroll in specifically designed coursework to help them on that journey. For example, students hoping to receive teacher’s licensure in one of the sciences can choose one of four Associate of Science degree programs that include teaching prep in biology, chemistry, physics, and general science. Students, however, who do not wish to pursue a teacher’s license can instead choose an Associate of Science in life sciences, mechanical sciences, computer sciences, or pre-engineering sciences.
The university transfer programs provide students with a great number of additional transfer options. Students can receive an associate degree in the arts, fine arts, business, education, mathematics, and pre-nursing, as well as numerous science options. After students receives their associate degree, the admissions office at GRCC will assist them in transferring their credits over to a four-year institution. In most circumstances, students will then be required to complete only two more years of coursework before earning a bachelor’s degree.
Those students who are not interested in eventually transferring to a four-year university can instead choose to complete a vocational training program. These programs provide students with career certification in a variety of fields that do not require extensive post-secondary education. Criminal justice, carpentry, administrative assistance, auto mechanic maintenance, and accounting are a few of the technical certificates that can be achieved at GRCC. These certificates lead to immediate employment in competitive career fields.
GRCC is perhaps most known for its relatively new vocational training program in aviation. With this program, students can prepare for a career as an airplane pilot or air traffic control officer. The aviation program at includes extensive training with a brand-new flight simulator and training software.
Students are also attracted by its specially designed courses for international students. One of the leading colleges for international students in the Pacific Northwest, GRCC boasts English classes for non-native English speakers and vocational training that accommodates citizens of other countries.
Many two-year colleges are prepared to accept students with lower high school grade point averages than comparable four-year colleges and universities. GRCC is no exception. Students are required to be at least eighteen years of age and have graduated high school or completed an equivalency examination to apply. Students who do not meet the age requirement, such as home school students, can still apply to the college if they meet the special application requirements. Students under the age of sixteen are generally not admitted.
Students at GRCC can compete in a variety of varsity and intramural sports on campus. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, golf, tennis, and cross country. Women compete in softball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, basketball, cross country, and golf. The student body at Green River proudly supports the various athletic teams, known as the Gators. Teams compete in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges. A competent staff of trainers, coaches, and physicians is dedicated to the health and fitness of the athletes at GRCC.
Auburn, Washington is a beautiful, forested city in the lush, green Pacific Northwest. A suburb of Seattle and Tacoma, Auburn is a perfect balance of small town life and big city access. Students who attend college here are thrilled to experience the adventures of hiking, whitewater rafting, mountain climbing, canoeing, camping, spelunking, and bird watching ,and the fast-paced urban experience of downtown Seattle.
Seattle, Washington is one of the great cultural centers of the West Coast. With countless shopping centers and fine dining establishments, as well as museums, bookstores, libraries, movie theaters, concert venues, and live theaters, students who attend GRCC will always have plenty to see and do in the city. Many of the courses offered at the college tap into the culture and experiences offered by Seattle and Tacoma. Students and professors will often take field trips to notable sights in these cities. On the weekends, some students take off to catch a concert or a show in downtown Seattle and enjoy the rich taste of the city’s night life. Others plan elaborate camping trips that pair fishing and hiking with whitewater rafting and mountain climbing. The flora and fauna of Washington is some of the most varied and vibrant in the continental United States. Students with a taste for the outdoors can see bald eagles, moose, elk, foxes, bears, hawks, and much more.
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