ACTC Transfer Programs Offer Value

With lower tuition than at other colleges and universities in the area and campuses close to home, Ashland Community and Technical College is a convenient and affordable starting point to a higher education degree.

Samantha Smith is a recent high school graduate. Bethany Stephens, the mother of two small children, has been out of school for several years. Both plan to earn Bachelors Degrees. Both started at ACTC.

I considered several different schools, including some offering scholarships, said Samantha Smith. After speaking with an advisor and others who attended ACTC, I found what all of my other choices had been lacking flexibility. A 2010 Greenup High School graduate, she plans to get an Associates Degree in Business Administration and transfer for a Bachelors Degree.

Not only was I more comfortable with the short commute from home and the smaller classroom size that ACTC offers, I was blown away by all of the options and possibilities that were associated with choosing a community college, said Smith.

By choosing ACTC I found a more customized education, a more convenient course schedule, and more time and money left in my hands, Smith added, How could I resist?

I wanted to get the experience of college classes without spending more money than necessary, said Stephens, an Ashland resident who wants to earn a Bachelors Degree in Middle School Education. With two years of the general education classes and the associate degree out of the way, I have a good foundation for transfer.

She graduated from ACTC in May and will start at Morehead State University-Ashland this fall. Transferring was easier than I expected, she said. Your financial and academic advisors will guide you into what you need to take and what papers you need to turn in. They tell you what you need to do, so as long as you listen to them then they will guide your way.

Transfer agreements are structured around general education courses. These courses are the major component of associate degrees at ACTC and can transfer as freshman and sophomore courses at four-year institutions

General education courses provide a foundation of basic knowledge in math, communications, science, social science, and heritage/humanities.

Students can prepare for transfer into more than 100 bachelor degree programs offered by four-year colleges and universities throughout the region. By working closely with an advisor, they can select courses that transfer in their fields to specific institutions.

Im glad I started at ACTC, because it has given me the experience that I need to move on, Stephens said. I made a lot of good friends and had a lot of great professors who helped me whenever I needed it.

ACTC has many non-traditional students who are mothers, fathers, mortgage payers and providers, with many responsibilities for other people, Stephens added. The professors here understand and respect that, and that to me is a great advantage over larger institutions with mainly younger students.

ACTC is accredited by the same accrediting organization as four year colleges and universities in the region. Small class sizes allow for quality student and faculty interaction, and the faculty have chosen teaching, not research, for their life work, and they are dedicated to their students success.

I am very happy with my decision to attend ACTC, said Smith. All of my fears and doubts about college disappeared after my first semester, Smith said. I enjoyed the experience so much that I decided to take part in the process and become a Peer Mentor. Now, I help guide other students just like me through the first semester experience at our college.

To start at ACTC this fall, go to ashland.kctcs.edu for admissions and program information. August 8 is the application deadline for fall semester, and the application can be submitted online. For more information on transfer options, contact Professor Dan Bailey, 606-326-2028, 800-928-4256 ext. 62028, or email: dan.bailey@kctcs.edu.