Shoreline Community College (SCC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

North of Seattle, Washington, a small community school district recognized a dire need for additional post-secondary education options for its graduating high school seniors. The Shoreline school district superintendent, Dr. Ray Howard, suggested the idea for a community college in Shoreline to the community government in 1959. The community agreed, and Shoreline Community College was formed.

Initially, the funds for construction of a college campus were not readily available and students enrolled in the college took night classes at Shoreline High School. Soon, though, a campus was built and initial class of nearly nine hundred students represented the first graduating class of Shoreline Community College.

The campus of Shoreline Community College is unique in that its architecture reflects the Japanese heritage of many of the immigrants who live in the surrounding Washington area. Artificial rock gardens were created to further develop the aesthetic Japanese imagery evoked by the Shoreline Community College campus.

Information Summary

Ranks 31st in Washington and 2808th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	53.6
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$4,743
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	23 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	62% / 45%
Enrollment Total (all students)	5,949

Academics

The forty-year-old Shoreline Community College offers a limited academic program structure to the students who attend the school. Operating mostly as a technical college, Shoreline Community College only offers seven different transfer associate’s degree programs. Most of its additional programs are career certification programs. These programs provide students with a brief education that prepares them for specific industry and career positions.

For students who wish to leave Shoreline Community College and immediately transfer to a four-year institution and seek a bachelor’s degree, Shoreline offers associate’s degree transfer programs. These programs are designed to provide a student with a basic liberal arts education and make transferring credits as simple as possible. Students can pursue an associate’s degree in business, arts, sciences, fine arts and music.

Most Popular Fields of Study

Gallery

Unique Programs

Shoreline Community College also offers a unique arrangement with all Washington State post-secondary schools. Students who intend to transfer to Washington State University or one of its affiliate schools can enroll in the direct transfer program at Shoreline Community College. This program offers courses that are guaranteed to transfer to a Washington State school.

This associate’s degree also makes applying for and gaining acceptance into a Washington State school much easier for the graduating student. Students who enroll in this program and later decide to transfer to an out-of-state school can still have these credits transferred to the school of their choice.

Many students who enroll at Shoreline Community College choose to complete a career certification program instead of an associate’s degree. These degrees can often be completed in as little as one year and serve to assist a graduating student in securing a career position immediately after graduating.

Many of the technical certification programs are related to either automotive work or business. Students can receive technical training in automotive maintenance and service and secure jobs at auto shops or automobile manufacturing plants. Business related technical certification programs are available in administration, fashion merchandising, retail management, accounting and much more. Technical certification is also offered in the fields of education, criminal justice, dental hygiene, health care, and music. Each of these certificates provides unique knowledge and experience that will assist a student in the competitive workplace.

Admissions

Students are encouraged to apply to Shoreline Community College online using the template on the school’s official website. However, many students who attend high schools in the Shoreline school district are able to apply for admission from within their high school. Shoreline Community College advocates and recruiters visit many of the area high schools and offer easy ways for students to apply to the college.

Students must graduate from high school or complete an equivalency test such as the GED before being accepted into the school. While academic performance is considered in a student’s application, poor academic performance or a low high school grade point average will not prevent a student from being accepted into this institution.

After the student applies to Shoreline Community College, he or she is encouraged to visit the campus and familiarize his or herself with the course offerings. After a student is accepted, an academic advisor will be assigned to the student. This individual will help the student choose courses specifically designed to fulfill his or her unique career or college goals.

Students

The students at Shoreline Community College are actively involved in a wide variety of clubs and student organizations. Some of these clubs are academic in nature and participation is strongly encouraged in clubs associated with specific majors or career certification programs. For example, participation in the Dental Hygiene Club is compulsory for all students seeking a career certificate in Dental Hygiene. In this club, students will visit local dentists and volunteer in community dental hygiene events around the state of Washington. Many academic clubs provide unique and important experiences that can help a student in his or her career search.

Other campus clubs are purely social or recreational in nature. Some clubs exist to raise awareness for events and social situations for which Shoreline Community College students have a passion. Other clubs provide students with unique opportunities to explore the natural beauty offered by the state of Washington. Students can also get involved with performance arts clubs like the Jazz Improv Club, athletic clubs like the Fencing Club, or entertainment clubs like the Video Gaming Club.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Local Community

Shoreline, Washington is a medium-sized city located at the Southwest corner of the Puget Sound in the state of Washington. Students who attend Shoreline Community College will be impressed by the stunning vistas and wide array of outdoor recreational activities offered by the unique location of this college.

Shoreline is also very near Seattle, Washington. Seattle offers a wide variety of cultural and entertainment options for students to experience during their time at Shoreline Community College. From the outdoor fish, fruit and produce market in downtown Seattle to the many shopping centers, dining establishments, live concert venues, pubs, theaters and city parks, Seattle seems to have something for everyone.

Many students take camping trips on the weekend to experience the natural beauty of Washington and even Canada. Students who attend Shoreline Community College can receive survival education before trekking into the wilderness and are provided with information about navigation and wild animals.

Bibliography

Samson, Karl. Frommer’s Washington State. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2008. Print.

Shoreline Community College. 2011. Web. 21 May 2011. <http://www.shoreline.edu>.

Shoreline Visual Arts. 2011. Web. 21 May 2011. <http://www.shoreline-visualarts.com>.

Shoreline Community College