North Idaho College (NIC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

North Idaho College provides not only a quality education at an affordable price, but also a lovely campus that takes one’s mind of off the daily grind of college life including what may seem to be an endless number of papers, presentations, and exams. Situated on the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene, North Idaho College’s location alone produces envy due to its proximity to nature’s beauty and is impressive for its commitment to serving not only its student body, but also the community overall.

Established in 1933 and accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, North Idaho College has gone through three different name changes. Originally called Coeur d’Alene Junior College, followed by North Idaho Junior College, it did not receive its current name until 1971. Its lakeside campus boasts an array of activities including sailing competitions and boat shows. There is also a host of outdoor sports offered to those who love the outdoors as Coeur d’Alene provides easy and quick access to area parks and forests. If the outdoors is not exactly your scene, you can also find all the advantages of city living in the downtown Coeur d’Alene area and Spokane, Washington, a major metropolitan area is only a half an hour away.

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Information Summary

Ranks 13th in Idaho and 2482nd overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	57.1
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$14,862
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	13 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	53% / 35%
Enrollment Total (all students)	5,270

Academics

The college offers Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), and Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. In order to obtain an AA or AS degree, students must complete at least 64 credit hours. For the AAS degree students must complete at least 60 semester hours. Programs are offered in collision repair technology, anthropology, child development, nursing, and American Indian studies for example.

There is also an Adult Basic Education (ABE) program which offers individuals without a high school diploma the ability to improve their reading, writing, and mathematics skills in order to receive a GED.

eLearning

To provide a certain level of flexibility, North Idaho provides courses in an online format for interested students. These courses are either offered fully online, are partially online and partially in class (hybrid) or are considered “Web-Enhanced.” Web-Enhanced classes are conducted in the traditional manner, but use the internet for certain aspects of the class such as conducting exams online, linking the syllabus online, or submitting assignments online.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Unique Programs

WINGS

The Dual Credit Program for high school students in their junior or senior year gives students the option of taking college credit while still in high school. WINGS stands for “WIN by getting a good start” and enables high school students to take college level classes online, attend classes at the high school, or attend classes on campus. WINGS gives motivated high school students the ability to take academically challenging and intellectually stimulating college level courses while still enjoying the perks of high school life.

In order to apply, students must meet with their high school counselor to determine eligibility, complete an application for admission, and attend an online orientation session.

Admissions

Although North Idaho exercises an open-door admissions policy, the application deadline is mid August for new students seeking an associates or certificate degree at North Idaho College. In order to apply students must submit an application for admission, have official high school transcripts or GED scores sent to the college, and take either the COMPASS test or submit official scores from the ACT or SAT.

Transfer students follow generally the same guidelines. They must submit an application for admission, official transcripts from any college in which they were previously enrolled, and take the placement test, or submit passing ACT or SAT scores. If the student has prior coursework in college level math and English, the student will not be required to take a placement test.

International Students

For international students seeking admission for the fall term, the application deadline is the beginning of July. The admission requirements include the same as freshman or transfer students who are domestic students, but a certificate of health, a financial statement, and TOEFL scores must be submitted as well. Students are also required to download and return by mail the “International Student Application Packet” available through the Admission office.

Non-degree seeking students and those interested in professional development are also welcomed at North Idaho College. Those interested in taking college level courses, but who do not intend to actually receive a college degree are considered non-degree seeking students and must complete an application for admission by mid August. Those only interested in professional development and strengthening certain workforce related skills can look into the community education department which does not require a formal admission application.

Financial Aid

The initial step in the financial aid process is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which can be found online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Completion of this form is highly important as it is used to determine one’s eligibility for federal financial aid including many grants, loans, and the federal Work Study program.

North Idaho College also offers institutional scholarships. These scholarships are both merit and need based. There are the North Idaho College (NIC) Foundation Scholarships which have a deadline of mid March. Students are required to submit an application once a year to receive consideration for the various scholarships that fall under this umbrella category. There is also the North Idaho College Presidential Scholarship. The deadline for the particular award is late February.

There is also the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation “Go On” Scholarship which is available to non-traditional college students, students of a lower economic status, and those who are first generation college students, for example. Students interested in this scholarship can simply submit the NIC Foundation Scholarship application.

There are a few state of Idaho scholarships available including the Robert E. Lee Promise B Scholarship, Idaho Opportunity Scholarship, Women’s Opportunity Scholarship, and the Professional Technical Scholarship are recent examples. There are also other scholarships available that are discussed in depth on the college’s financial aid section of the web page.

For private loans outside of federal or state funding, students and parents can consider meeting with their financial institution (bank or credit union) to inquire about which loan options for schooling may be available, if any.

Ample scholarships are also available to students from a variety of backgrounds, interests, and career paths. There are scholarship databases online to assist in finding scholarships for those who need additional funding. One site in particular, www.fastweb.com, may be a helpful resource.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 6446th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Idaho.

Students

Additional services offered by North Idaho College include the Center for Educational Access, counseling services, College Skills Center, Flexible Learning Center (FLC), Health Services, and the Writing Center. These departments serve students by honing either their academic skills such as improving their writing or computer skills, or by providing a service that directly assists in the maintenance of mental or physical health. There are also computer labs if one does not own a personal computer or would rather not take your laptop to campus.

In terms of student activities and clubs, the college has over 25 recognized organizations including the Idaho Nursing Students Association, Business Professionals of America, and the American Indian Student Alliance. If there is not a club that suit your personal interests or academic needs, North Idaho makes the process of starting a student club quite easy. As students at North Idaho College are encouraged to foster their leadership skills, expectantly there is an active student government on campus. For those students who are community action oriented, there are various volunteer and social action programs to participate in across campus as well as within the local community. Recently students were encouraged to assist the Special Olympics Idaho games during the summer. For the outdoorsy type, the college sponsors what’s called Challenge Course. This activity includes rope courses, kayaking, and white water rafting for example. Other traditional activities include the Popcorn Forum, Art on the Green, Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater, and the Commencement Walk. (The Popcorn Forum addresses issues related to a diverse set of topics from the environment to civil liberties.)

For those students not located near North Idaho College’s main campus, the school has several outreach centers including the Silver Valley Center, Ponderay Center, and Bonners Ferry Center. These outreach centers offer many of the same services as the main campus, including ABE courses in preparation for the GED and English as a Second Language (ESL).

Housing

North Idaho College offers housing for 199 students in its sole residence hall. The residence hall consists of 4 and 3 people occupancy suites. The facility features a laundry room, social lounge, study rooms, 24-hour on-campus security, and a meal plan.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Athletics

North Idaho College is part of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Men’s sports offered include soccer, golf, wrestling, and basketball. Women have the opportunity to participate in volleyball, basketball, soccer, golf, and softball. The women’s and men’s golf teams are especially talented, qualifying for nationals three consecutive years. For those not interested in competing on a national level and would like to play sports solely for the enjoyment can consider one of these intramural sports options: kickball, dodgeball, bowling, and ultimate Frisbee.

Bibliography

North Idaho College. Web. 17 May 2011.

Coeur d’Alene Press. "NIC men 21st after first day. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www.cdapress.com/news/sports/article_6c390648-ec14-5275-b1db-5e5f506aa5de.html.>

North Idaho College Workforce Training Center. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www.ed2go.com/nicwtc/>

North Idaho College