You can meet FCC Admissions staff in J-Building.
Any given day in the Admissions Office, you will meet individual prospective and current students from a wide variety of backgrounds. In my role as a recruiter and admissions advisor, I’ve found that it’s best to ask each person I advise the open-ended question of, “How can I help you today?” What a person may need today may be different from what he or she may need tomorrow.
One student type I encounter is the student who has no idea what he or she wants to do, but does know that a change is in order. My point is this: Not knowing what kinds of potential student needs will walk through my door each day can be one of the most challenging aspects of my job, but it is also what I often love the most about working here. I have the opportunity to meet hundreds of people each month and I can say that after working here for one year that each day is truly a new experience.
In my experience, no student has a one-size-fits-all experience –– even students with similar career or academic interests. Getting to know each person in a short amount of time allows me to best serve his or her needs and concerns, which also can run the gamut.
The reason why I choose to work for community colleges, and FCC specifically, is that I get to help make the process of coming to school an easier one by providing clarification and reassurance. Below, I’ll tackle a few of these concerns, because nearly all prospective students have at least one.
Concern #1: “I haven’t been to school in years! Am I the only one?”
Absolutely not! Approximately 22% (about 1,345) of our current student population are students who range in age from 30 to 59 years old. This is a popular concern, whether someone has been away from school five years to 30 years. Coming back to school can feel overwhelming and often people I advise are concerned about being in a student role again or ‘not fitting in.’ The great news is you are NOT alone. From application to course registration (and beyond), we have staff and faculty to meet your needs and answer your questions. Have more questions? Meet with of our Admissions Office staff in J101 to get started in the process. After getting started in the application process with Admissions, you may also benefit from student support services provided by the Office of Adult Services.
Concern #2: “Some of my friends are going straight into a four-year college/university from high school. Am I missing out on the ‘four-year’ experience?”
Particularly if you are planning to transfer to a four-year college or university, your first two years of coursework (full-time) with us are the same as what you would be taking at the more expensive college/university option. Students who begin their education at FCC before transferring can save anywhere from $25,000-$90,000 in tuition – you will not find a better value for your education! Students who transfer from FCC also typically perform better academically than students who enroll directly in four-year colleges or universities.
Our small class sizes, dedicated faculty, and abundance of student services to help you along the way may have something to do with that.
Four year schools will often have residential campuses. While FCC is not a residential campus, our Center for Student Engagement provides plenty of opportunities to socialize, build leadership skills, and learn outside of the classroom with clubs and service learning. Wherever you decide to attend school, your experience will be what you make of it. Take it from one of our current student bloggers, and check out her experience here at FCC.
These two concerns by no means cover the range of issues we hear in the Admissions Office. I look forward to dispelling misconceptions and answering common concerns and questions in future posts.
If you have any questions about what options you may have with FCC, please stop by our office (J101) or contact us (301-624-2716)! We can’t wait to meet you.
FCC Admissions 