The path to higher education in Colorado now includes a bridge to a bachelor’s degree.
The Colorado Community College System, or CCCS, this week announced the launch of a new, guaranteed admission program called the Bridge to Bachelor's Degree program.
“Under new agreements signed by CCCS and several Colorado universities, new, first-time CCCS students pursuing an associate degree will receive guaranteed admission and a more affordable, seamless pathway to a four-year university to achieve their bachelor's degree,” according to a news release.
Locally, that means through the program students at Front Range Community College, including at the Boulder County campus in Longmont, can currently receive guaranteed admission to nine universities and with at least three expected to be added.
More than 19,000 students from Colorado Community College System’s 13 schools transfer to universities annually, and on average each year, nearly 6,000 transfer from FRCC to four-year schools. Nearly 900 of those come from the FRCC Boulder County campus, according to statistics provided by Jessica Peterson, public relations director for FRCC.
FRCC President Andy Dorsey in an email stated, “Students can transfer in almost any field, from engineering to psychology to nursing. Most importantly, we want people to know that FRCC students do just as well at four-year schools as the students who start there — and in many cases better. In fact, FRCC has one of the top success rates for our transfer students of any community college in the country.”
Elena Sandoval-Lucero, vice president of the Boulder County campus, said FRCC ranks among the top 5% in the nation for the success of its transfer students.
It’s too early to say how the number of students going on to four-year schools will change because of Bridge to Bachelor’s, but FRCC officials said that by simplifying the process for admission, they think that number will increase.
“Any program that can facilitate transfer from Front Range to any university a student wishes to attend, is a good idea,” Sandoval-Lucero said.
The Bridge to Bachelor’s program also allows students to capitalize on the advantages of starting at a community college, such as small class sizes, more individualized attention and lower tuition costs, while still creating a path to a four-year degree, she said.
FRCC class sizes average 17, according to Peterson, so students “have the chance to ask questions and get guidance directly from their teachers. Many of our students find the atmosphere less intimidating, and that helps them make a smooth transition from high school to college,” she stated in an email.
“We also connect every new student at FRCC with an advisor who helps them identify their goals — and a clear path to reach them. For Bridge to Bachelor’s students, this personalized student advising and guidance will help ensure that they enroll in the right classes, and that credits easily transfer to their four-year school of choice.”
In addition to the support FRCC already offers to students, such as study groups and tutoring to personal and career counseling, the Bridge to Bachelor’s program also offers joint academic counseling; streamlined transfer process; and the ability to complete both an associate’s and a bachelor’s degree, without having to retake credits, take additional credits, or take on additional debt, according to CCCS.
Enrollment for the 2019-2020 academic year at FRCC’s Boulder County campus was 3,397. When high school students who take FRCC credits are included, the number goes up to 4,582. The campus offers both associate degree and technical and career programs, including the Center for Integrated Manufacturing.
Some of those career and technical programs are offering limited face-to-face meetings on campus right now, but other summer programs are being offered entirely online, Sandoval-Lucero said.
Decisions are still pending on what the fall semester will look like, she said, with it likely involving a hybrid model of some limited on-campus participation and some distance and online learning.
Bridge to Bachelor’s universities
Universities participating in the Bridge to Bachelor’s Degree program are:
· Colorado Mesa University
· Colorado State University
· CU-Denver
· Fort Lewis College
· Johnson & Wales University
· Metropolitan State University of Denver
· Regis University
· Western Colorado University
· University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
More partner universities are coming soon: Adams State, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado State University-Pueblo and Colorado State University-Global, according to CCCS.
