Colby Community College has been chosen as one of the top 10 community colleges in the country according to Bankrate, Inc. In a recent release by Bankrate, Inc., “CCC wins the accolade as one of the top community colleges because of its 10 to 1 student/faculty ratio, low in-state tuition, and the fact that 97 percent of full-time, first-time students receive some grant or scholarship aid. In addition to getting a cost break, students also receive direct attention from their instructors. Besides maintaining a low student/faculty ratio, Colby makes an effort to accommodate students who may not be able to make it to the main campus by offering courses through 24 locations spread throughout 14 surrounding countries.
“While Colby offers programs of study ranging from broadcasting to massage therapy to solar photovoltaic studies, the broad array of agriculture programs really make this institution shine. Colby’s 60-acre agricultural center acts as a living laboratory, provides students with real-world farming experience and offers the perfect place for the school’s agrocentric programs including agronomy, farm and ranch management, and agriculture economics.
“The school also maintains strong programs for students who want to work with four-legged friends, including programs in equine science, animal science, and a robust veterinary technology program that can be completed on campus or online.”
“Such recognition is most gratifying because it confirms what we already know – that Colby Community College provides a quality, accessible and affordable education to northwest Kansas and the surrounding region,” said CCC President Steve Vacik. “The real accolades should go to our dedicated faculty and staff, though, who continue to maintain a standard of excellence even during the very challenging economic times faced by the college in recent years. I hope it would also call attention to the obvious – that an investment in CCC provides tangible dividends for the future of our citizens and communities.”
The article that was recently issued by Bankrate, Inc. Bankrate has over three decades’ experience in financial publishing. Today, Bankrate, Inc. is the Web’s leading aggregator of financial rate information. The company continually surveys approximately 4,800 financial institutions in all 50 states in order to provide clear, objective, and unbiased rates to consumers. In addition, the company publishes original and objective personal finance stories to help consumers make informed financial decisions. The company contacted Dr. Vacik and interviewed him regarding Colby Community College. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics, Bankrate ranked more than 900 public two-year institutions to determine the best and brightest schools. The rankings were based on six criteria: graduation rate; student retention rate; the student/faculty ratio; the school’s in-state tuition and fees; the percentage of full-time first-time undergraduates receiving financial aid; and the average amount of grant aid they received from federal, state and private sources combined.