Whatcom Community College (WCC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Whatcom Community College is a two-year college located on a 71-acre campus in Bellingham, Washington. The Whatcom Community College was established in 1967 and was one of the first community colleges to offer classes without a centralized campus. The first programs were offered in 1970 in areas like Farm Management and Transportation of the Sick and Injured. In the mid-1980s, the board of trustees started work for developing a campus in Cordata. As the time passed, the enrollment in the college grew but the college maintained its commitment towards providing personalized instruction and promotion of success in students of all age groups.

As of 2009-2010, Whatcom Community College has a total enrollment of 12,275 students. Whatcom Community College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges, the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges, and the Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges.

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Information Summary

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Overall Score (about)	Insufficient Data
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$16,731
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	28 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	N/A / N/A
Enrollment Total (all students)	4,263

Academics

Whatcom Community College offers degrees, certificate and diploma programs, transitional learning programs, and community education programs. The degree programs offered include the Associate in Arts and Sciences (AAS) transfer degrees which are aimed at students wanting to transfer to a four-year college or university.

There are various majors available for the Associate in Science (transfer option) degree. Some of these are Atmospheric Sciences, Computer & Electrical Engineering, Bioengineering & Chemical Engineering, Environmental Science, Mechanical, Civil, Aeronautical, Environmental, Industrial and Material Science Engineering, and Geology.

The Associate in Science Degrees are offered in specific areas such as Administration of Justice, Business Administration, Massage Practitioner, Paralegal Studies, and Nursing. The Associate in Art degrees are offered in areas such as Early Childhood Education, Education Paraprofessional, and Visual Communications.

The Whatcom Community College offers Certificate programs in Accounting, Administration of Justice, Early Childhood Education, Hospitality & Tourism Business Management, and Office Administration.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

Whatcom Community College has an open-door admission policy where any student at least 18 years of age who has graduated from high school or has a GED can apply for admission. Students who do not meet this criteria can still apply for admission and their application is considered on an individual basis. To apply for admission in the Whatcom Community College, students are required to submit an admission form. High school transcripts are not required to be submitted. Students applying for the Whatcom Community College degree or certificate courses need to submit their transcripts from previously attended accredited colleges or universities if they want their credits to be transferred.

International students need to submit the international student application form and an original financial statement to demonstrate availability of funds to finance the education expenses for a year. They might also be required to submit their high school/college or university transcripts if needed. International students are also required to appear for the Whatcom Community College English placement exam.

Students under 18 years of age can apply for special admission through the Running Start program or the Transitional Learning program. The Whatcom Community College has a tie-up with the Washington state public high schools for the Running Start program wherein eligible high school juniors and seniors can enroll for regular college classes and receive both high school and college credits for those classes.

Financial Aid

Whatcom Community College provides financial aid to students to help them meet their educational expenses. The basic objective of providing financial aid is to bridge the gap between family resources and annual educational expenses of the students enrolled for various programs at the Whatcom Community College. To apply for financial aid from the Whatcom Community College, students are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education. The Whatcom Community College recommends a priority deadline of March 1 to apply for the financial aid.

The different types of financial aid offered to students of the Whatcom Community College are grants, loans, work-study programs, and scholarships. Different types of grants available to eligible students are: Federal Pell Grant and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. Students can also seek the Direct Stafford subsidized and Federal Parent PLUS Loans. Whatcom Community College students can also apply for numerous scholarship programs offered by Cascade Natural Gas, Dawson Construction, Fielding and Pat Formway, the Sam Girouard Memorial, the Jeff Heidingsfelder Memorial, Harold Heiner, Thomas and Martina Horn, Kenneth L. Kellar, and the Peoples Bank scholarships.

Student Financial Aid Details

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Students

Whatcom Community College offers numerous opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities. The Associated Students of Whatcom Community College (ASWCC) is a student organization that is responsible for solving student problems, reviewing college policies affecting students, and performing student surveys for assessing their needs. The Activities committee of the ASWCC decides on the recreational and educational activities for the students. There are many clubs on the campus which provide an excellent opportunity for the students to meet people sharing similar interests. Clubs are also useful for connecting and networking with the faculty and the staff of the Whatcom Community College. Common clubs include the bike club, business club, drama club, music club, literature club, and the Phi Theta Kappa.

The student newspaper is known as Horizon and students interested in journalistic writing or photography are encouraged to work for the paper.

The athletic facilities available at the Whatcom Community College include the Pavilion Gym, Fitness Center, and the Orca field which is a new field turf, lighted soccer field. The WCC Bookstore stocks school supplies, book bags, computer software, greeting cards, and other merchandise items. There is a huge library which houses books, journals, videos, music CDs, and DVDs.

Whatcom Community College does not offer on-campus housing, but provides assistance for students in searching for off-campus housing options. Students of Whatcom Community College who are enrolled in 10 or more credits can opt to stay in the Western Washington University dormitories based on availability of space.

The dining services are available at Dockside Café, Orca Bay Café, and Kulshan Coffee corner. The food options include Espresso Drinks, Grill Favorites, Hot Pizza, Made to Order Deli and Burrito Bar, Homemade Soups and Salads.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

Whatcom Community College is a member of the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) and participates in various intercollegiate sports competitions for both men and women. The athletic teams of the Whatcom Community College are known as the Orcas and they participate in various sports such as women’s volleyball, soccer and basketball and men’s basketball and soccer.

Bibliography

Whatcom Community College. About Whatcom Community College. Web. 26 July 2011.

Whatcom Community College. Dining Services. Web. 26 July 2011.

Whatcom Community College. Whatcom Community College 2010-2012 Course Catalog. 2010. Print.

Whatcom Community College