Community Colleges have long been designated as Plan B. In a time when universities cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, people need to think smarter about colleges. Roughly half of all college students in America are enrolled in community college, so why not you?
College of DuPage
Virtual Tour: here
Highlights Include:
The Homeland Security Training Center: The Homeland Security Training Center is a 39,714 square-foot facility that includes a state-of-the-art indoor firing range and a call center training lab. This facility is Phase II in the completion of the College’s Homeland Security Training Institute. The firing range, which measures 100 feet by 50 yards, features 24 target positions, running man targets and a simulator to replicate a variety of scenarios for both proximity and tactical training. Squad cars can be driven into the range to teach police cadets how to properly and safely approach suspects and vehicles. The facility also contains several multi-purpose classrooms and a call center training room for employees working at dispatch centers. The $16.5 million center was funded by the 2010 capital bond referendum.
The Homeland Security Education Center: The Homeland Security Education Center houses the Criminal Justice and Fire Science programs, the Police Department, Homeland Security Training Institute and the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy. This comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional training center includes a full-scale indoor street scene for force-on-force exercises, forensics and cybercrimes labs, a command center designed to instruct National Incident Management System protocols, a smoke room with moveable walls for EMS and fire rescue simulations, a fully functional mock courtroom, a full-size ambulance and an outdoor scaling and rappelling tower. Also, as you walk through this building you will witness a piece of history. College of DuPage was selected as one of the few educational facilities in the U.S. to receive a relic from the Twin Towers following 9/11. It is a ceiling beam and weighs more than 1,000 pounds.
The Technical Education Center: The Technical Education Center houses the Architecture, Interior Design, Horticulture, Automotive Technology, Computer-Aided Design, Construction Management, Electro-Mechanical Technology, HVAC, Manufacturing Technology and Welding Technology programs. The TEC includes 31 classrooms, 16 state-of-the-art laboratories, including a greenhouse, as well as space for raw materials and vehicular storage. The LEED-certified center was designed with sustainability in mind and features two windmills and four solar panels on its roof.
The Culinary and Hospitality Center: This Culinary & Hospitality Center houses the Hospitality Administration and Culinary Arts programs. You can enjoy a meal at two full-service restaurants: Waterleaf, a professionally-run fine-dining restaurant and Wheat Café, a student-run casual dining room with an adjacent Culinary Market and Bake Shop that sells pastries and meals prepared by Culinary Arts students. The CHC also houses the Inn at Water’s Edge, a six-room boutique hotel, and Silverleaf, a multipurpose meeting room. There are Skills Kitchens, Fine-Dining and Casual Dining Kitchens, a Chocolate Room for Pastry Arts, and a Culinary Amphitheatre for lectures/cooking demonstrations.
3+1 Programs: It is a convenient and economical way to earn your B.A. or B.S. degree in selected academic programs. College of DuPage has partnered with prominent universities to offer high-caliber degree programs at a greatly reduced cost:
Take three years of classes at College of DuPage
Advanced classes are taught by faculty from our partner universities, many of which are offered on College of DuPage’s main campus
Partner universities are educational leaders in their respective program areas.
Advanced classes are offered at a reduced tuition rate.
Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): The Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) is a statewide transfer agreement, which is transferable among more than 100 participating college or universities in Illinois. IAI allows students to concentrate on completing their general education core courses, and works best for students who know they are going to transfer but undecided on the college or university that will grant their baccalaureate degree.
2+2 Transfer Programs: A traditional 2+2 agreement allows a student to complete 2 years (approximately 64 credit hours) at College of DuPage and another 2 years at a college/university to complete a bachelor's degree. An enhanced 2+2, on the other hand, allows a student to complete up to 90 semester credits of coursework, mostly general education courses, and then transfer to complete the remaining credits toward a bachelor's degree at a four-year college/university.
Transfer Guides
The Honors Program: is a vibrant intellectual community of students and faculty dedicated to academic excellence. The program offers classes, research opportunities, and fun activities that enrich the learning experience in a friendly environment. College of DuPage recognizes graduating Honors Scholars every spring at the Celebration of Academic Excellence.
Colby Community College
Virtual Tour: here
Highlights Include:
Named by the Aspen Institute among the top 150 community colleges in the nation (Fall 2015).
A national top ten performer (two-year sector) in graduation rates as recognized by the Chronicle of Higher Education (August 2015).
Ranked 11th out of 565 community colleges nationwide in the Best Community Colleges of 2016 study by financial advisor SmartAsset.
CCC's nursing program was listed among the nation’s top three percent of vocational, career, and community college nursing schools by Nursing Schools Almanac.
Six CCC athletic teams earned national recognition for grade point averages of at least 3.0, including women’s indoor track who posted the highest national GPA for their sport (3.47) in NJCAA Division I (2017-18).
Since 2014, income for CCC’s technical program graduates has ranked first or second compared to graduate incomes from other Kansas two-year public institutions (K-TIP report, Kansas Board of Regents).
Ranked no. 36 out of 821 of the best community colleges in the nation by Wallethub (Fall 2016) and 55 out of 728 in 2017.
One of only five institutions in the country to offer a veterinary nursing program both on-campus and online, and ranked No. 6 nationally as one of the Most Affordable Online Colleges for Veterinary Technicians (2017, SR Education Group).
Men's and women's cross country teams each captured the 2017 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference western division titles.
Ranked No. 1 in graduation rates among all Kansas community colleges, according to the 2018 Community College Data Book and ranked in the top 3.1 percent nationally.
*All information is taken directly from each school's website.