For students looking to get their feet wet in higher education at a community college in Oregon, Central Oregon Community College offers a good place to get a solid foundation on which to build further academic success. The college also has a number of programs for students who want to quickly retool for a new career, including its aviation program.
In addition, COCC, which is located in Bend, Oregon has a beautiful campus with plenty of nearby outdoor fun and adventure along with necessary urban amenities.
Central Oregon Community College
Academics
Central Oregon Community College primarily serves a feeder school to Oregon’s four-year universities. There are a variety of benefits to completing your first two years at a community college, including lower prices and a more nuturing atmosphere.
Degrees and Programs Offered
In addition to its academic programs intended to prepare students for a four-year school, COCC also offers a number of certificates and associate’s degrees for students who want to quickly complete training and enter the workforce. Two unique programs at Central Oregon Community College are the college’s aviation training program, which trains commercial pilots, and the firefighting program.
Central Oregon Community College has more than 60 programs of study students can choose from, including certificate and associate’s degree options.
Some of the most popular majors at COCC include:
Liberal Arts: 58 percent of enrollment
Health Professions: 19 percent of enrollment
Public safety related majors: 9 percent of enrollment
Recent Improvements
Class sizes at Central Oregon Community College are small, yet another advantage of community colleges. The average class size has ballooned somewhat in recent years due to a boom in enrollment (enrollment has doubled in the past four years), but college officials recently added staff to cope with the surge of additional students. The college also has a well-qualified faculty, as more than half the teaching staff has doctorate degrees in their field.
COCC recently embarked upon a $41 million expansion program. Part of the expansion included a new campus in Madras, Oregon, which was constructed to help COCC better deliver services in that area. COCC currently has four campuses, including the main campus in Bend. Other construction projects include a health careers building, a science building and a technology center.
The college recently completed a successful fundraising campaign for its culinary program and construction on a new $3 million culinary training facility is expected to be complete soon. The college also has a partnership with OSU Cascades, providing a convenient way for placebound students in the COCC coverage area to complete their four-year degrees.
COCC has been adding to its online programs to better cater to students’ schedules and now offers a number of courses entirely in an online format.
Accreditation
The college is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which accredits schools in of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The NWCCU accredits more than 150 colleges and universities in the region.
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Central Oregon Community College.
Central Oregon Community College has an open admissions policy, meaning that virtually all students who apply to the college are admitted. Some programs, such as the nursing program, may have entrance criteria.
Central Oregon Community College has a rolling admissions deadline. Typically students must apply by the Wednesday before courses start in the current term. Prospective students must submit high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores while transfer students have to submit transcripts from their former college(s).
Students applying to COCC will need to take a placement exam to determine whether they need remediation in some areas.
As of Sept. 2011, the university charges a $25 admission fee.
Financial Aid
Students applying to Central Oregon Community College are eligible for federal grants and student loans. There are also a number of grants and scholarships offered by the state of Oregon, the university itself, and other organizations that students may be eligible for.
The COCC Foundation alone offers more than 250 scholarships each year. The COCC website has detailed listings of available scholarships and some information on how to apply.
The college’s office of financial stands ready to help students find other grants and scholarships they may be eligible for. About 66 percent of students at Central Oregon Community College receive student aid in terms of loans, grants or scholarships.
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
Central Oregon Community College 3764th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best Oregon scholarships and financial aid
Like many community colleges, Central Oregon Community College has become a campus comprised largely of students who are somewhat older than traditional college students—students that are returning to school to improve their career opportunities.
Student Organizations and Activities
COCC offers a wide variety of academic, cultural and recreational activities for its students. Student activities include professional and academic organizations, civic groups, diversity and ethnicity-themed organizations and recreational activities.
The college operates a student newspaper, The Broadside.
Campus Facilities
Unlike most community colleges, COCC offers some on-campus housing opportunities. A small percentage of the students live in on-campus housing.
A unique attraction at COCC is the school’s arboretum, which has a wide variety of plant and animal species and is a much-enjoyed portion of the campus.
One of its main “selling points” to prospective students is the college’s location. Bend offers impressive views of the Cascade Mountains and students at COCC have plenty of skiing, hiking and other opportunities. Bend is a well-regarded town and one of the more pleasant places to live in Oregon. Bend has a population of about 75,000 and offers many of the amenities of larger cities without the congestion and crowding of more populated areas.
The college also provides dining facilities and also has security services, including escort services to help students feel safe at night as they travel on campus.
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at Central Oregon Community College?
Central Oregon Community College does not have traditional intercollegiate athletics, but club and intramural sports are available for students. The club and intramural sports at COCC include:
Men’s and Women’s
Baseball
Basketball
Non-tackle Football
Table Tennis
Cross Country
Soccer
Track and Field
Volleyball
Golf
Central Oregon Community College’s mascot is the Bobcat. School colors are cardinal and gold.
Gonsher, Debra A., and Joshua Halberstam. The community college guide: the essential reference from application to graduation. Dallas, Tex.: BenBella Books, 2009. Print.
The Insider’s guide to the colleges Students on Campus Tell You What You Really Want to Know. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1970. Print.
Demographics – Main Campus and Surrounding Areas
Reported area around or near Bend, OR 97701
Surrounding community
Small city (inside urban area, pop. under 100,000)
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Bend, OR 97701
p. 541-383-7500
w. www.cocc.edu