South Texas College (STC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Located in McAllen, Texas, South Texas College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to provide both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. STC was the one of the first community colleges in Texas to be accredited to award a bachelor’s degree and began offering the Bachelor of Applied Technology in Technology Management in 2005. Serving the residents of Hidalgo and Starr Counties, the college was opened in 1993 and is the only community college to be created by the Texas State Legislature. South Texas College has a very comprehensive mission statement and is dedicated to serving the educational needs of its communities.

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Information Summary

Ranks 67th in Texas and 1589th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	71.5
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$4,980
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	17 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	72% / 46%
Enrollment Total (all students)	31,949

Academics

South Texas College offers a variety of academic programs and options including traditional classroom studies, online courses and a concept that they term a “mini-mester”, which allows students to take accelerated courses in order to fast-track their educational experience. Offering over ninety degree and certificate programs in more than forty areas of study, STC has a program for just about anybody seeking educational advancement.

Bachelor’s Degrees

South Texas College was one of three Texas community colleges to be accredited to award a Bachelor of Applied Technology degree in Technology Management and is the only community college in Texas accredited to offer two bachelor’s degrees. The second degree offered at STC is the Bachelor of Applied Technology in Computer and Information Technology. By combining real-world experience with a classroom experience led by the nation’s leading innovators, students get a thorough knowledge base to prepare them for new careers in the field of technology.

Associate’s Degrees

Offering four different associate’s degrees and over fifty areas of specialized study, South Texas College offers a diverse array of choices for the student in search of higher education. The associate of arts degree offers study in programs such as business administration, criminology, history and psychology. For students interested in an Associate of Arts in Teacher, specializations include early childhood through sixth grade, grades eight through twelve and middle school. If an associate’s in science is the goal, students may choose from such programs as biology, chemestry, physics and pre-pharmacy. The fourth associate’s degree offered is an associate’s of applied science which offers fields of study such as nursing, marketing, culinary arts and diesel technology. Most of these programs are completed in two years and can be used either to gain an entry-level position in a new career or to get a better paying job while pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

Certificates

There are over forty different certificates that students may earn at South Texas College. Pursuing a certificate in a chosen field gives students the opportunity to gain knowledge in a given field without having to complete the many general education requirements of a degree program. Because of the concentrated nature of the programs, it is easy for a person to attend school without having to quit working. Many students choose this route so that they may quickly begin a new career or become experts in fields that they are already employed in. Certificates often enhance the opportunity to advance at work. Certificates available include marketing, commercial cooking and emergency medical technology. Students seeking more information on these programs may review the college’s website or contact the school directly.

Transfer Courses

More and more students are choosing to complete the first two years of a baccalaureate program at a community college. By taking all of the general education requirements at a community college, students gain the advantage of staying close to home and saving a significant amount of money on tuition. South Texas College offers a large variety of courses that will transfer to schools that offer the bachelor’s degree that the student is seeking. The college refers to these classes as Academic Transferable Courses and labels them in accordance with the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This simplifies the process of identifying courses that students may transfer as credit toward a degree at another institution.

Community Education Courses

South Texas College offers numerous continuing education and general education courses in order to provide necessary educational services to it’s community. Many professions require a certain amount of educational credits per a certain amount of time in order for a person to maintain state or federal licensure. These courses are referred to as Continuing Education Courses and may easily be scheduled either in the classroom or online at STC, depending on the courses required. The college is also dedicated to providing developmental educational opportunities in order to help people become more employable and better educated. These courses, referred to as Developmental Studies, provide the knowledge necessary for the student to pass the Texas Higher Education Assessment and thus begin a higher education experience.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Unique Programs

Ssouth Texas College is the lead agency for the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, which is an affiliate of the North American Advanced Manufacturing Research & Education Initiative. This alliance was established in order to form a world-class customized training program for industrial maintenance, tool and die, and plastics professionals and machinists. The Rio South Texas College Manufacturing leads the implementation of the program and operates at four Texas colleges with the headquarters at STC.

Admissions

Prospective students may apply for South Texas College either online or via a paper application. Texas offers a unique application process to students by offering the opportunity to fill out one application for many schools. As soon as possible after completing the application, students will need to submit high school transcripts, GED information or transcripts from other colleges. It is advisable to also complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible as well. After applying, students will be required to contact the testing center to determine whether or not math, reading or writing assessment tests are required, or whether the student is eligible for waiver or exemption.

After completing any required testing, the student will need to contact the Outreach Office to schedule a student orientation class. These classes are available prior to every semester and may be taken in the morning, afternoon and evening. Online orientation is also an option. Students that do not complete orientation may not move forward in the registration process. It is a good idea to take the orientation on campus, because students will be offered the opportunity to meet with an advisor to review classes, educational goals and student support systems. An opportunity to register for classes immediately is also offered to students who attend orientation on-campus.

Should a student attend orientation online, or for some other reason not register during orientation, registration may be completed online, at a campus kiosk, by phone or in person. Students will not receive confirmation for registration via mail so should therefore verify registration either online, by phone or in person prior to the start of the semester. Payment is required at the time of registration and must be paid in full or else the student’s schedule will be dropped. Students should be sure to submit proof of Texas residency in order to receive in-state tuition rates.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available to students at South Texas College in the form of grants, scholarships and federally subsidized loans. Financial aid may be used to pay for tuition, fees, books and living expenses. The first step to applying for financial aid is completing the FAFSA as described above. Financial aid in some form is available to nearly everybody, so all entering students should complete this application. Financial information for both the student and the family will be required so students need to have this information available prior to starting the FAFSA. There are also scholarships offered by private foundations at STC so students should contact the college’s financial aid office as these will frequently require a separate application. It is advisable to start the financial aid process as early as possible because many scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and the earlier the application is submitted, the better the odds that there will still be awards left.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 6972nd for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Texas.

Students

Because of the rich and diverse educational opportunities offered at South Texas College, the student body is an eclectic mix of young, middle-aged and senior members of the community from all walks of life. One of the many advantages of this is that students get the opportunity to learn from the life and educational experiences of fellow students while learning to appreciate diversity.

South Texas College does not participate in intercollegiate sports but does offer several intramural sports and student organizations that provide opportunities for students to participate actively in campus life. Some of these organizations include the Bachelor’s of Applied Technology (BAT) Club, the FotoWerks Club and the Japanese Animation Club. The variety and interests of the different clubs truly do present every student with an option to be part of a group.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Bibliography

South Texas College. South Texas College. 2009. Web. 22 April 2011.

“South Texas College Pecan Campus Open Late Jan.” City of McAllen, TX. 3 Jan 2011. Web. 22 April 2011.

South Texas College