Sheldon, Iowa — A local institution of higher learning has received an honor for one of their programs.
Officials with Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon tell us that University HQ (universityhq.org) has ranked NCC’s Associate of Arts program the best in Iowa. University HQ is a college data center for Higher Learning. NCC officials tell us University HQ considers themselves Experts in Education and a leading independent education organization that provides students with the necessary resources to prepare and plan their career paths in their chosen fields.
According to University HQ, the top 5 Associate of Arts Degree offering colleges in Iowa are
Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon
North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City
Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar
Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville
Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids
NCC officials believe that their AA degree is a wise path if you plan to transfer to a four-year college or university or are uncertain about your future academic plans. They say the degree is also beneficial for students who want to “try” college, without having to decide on a major area of study.
NCC offers three tracks of AA degrees: General Associate of Arts Degree, Transfer Major Associate of Arts Degree, or the Associate of Arts Plus (AA+). AA degrees are offered full or part-time and on-campus and online (or a combination of those options).
According to UniversityHQ.org, “Many of the award-winning and nationally recognized two-year programs in Iowa include STEM degrees, nursing, education, agriculture, computer networking and information security, criminal justice, business, sport management, and much more. No matter your career goals, getting started with an associate degree from an excellent school is never a bad idea.” It goes on to say, “Much like anywhere in the US, you have to complete a degree to make more money. With each degree you earn, you can expect that your salary will increase by roughly $10,000 to $15,000 annually.”
Ranking factors included for this study are: cost of tuition, admission rate, retention rate, graduation rate, graduating salary (ROI), number of programs offered, online programs offered, loan default rate, diplomas awarded, and percent of students receiving financial aid.
More information, direct from NCC (all statements in the following attributed to NCC officials):
University HQ uses the most reliable sources available. They compile information from government and industry sources, which are consistent, reliable, and unbiased. Further, each college in the rankings is assessed using the same data sources, so the comparisons are all even and consistent. Sources used for this study were nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator; collegescorecard.ed.gov; bls.gov; and payscale.com.
You can find the complete methodology of the study and the full rankings by going to: https://universityhq.org/best-colleges/iowa/#associate.
One of the best ways to find out if a college is for you is to schedule a campus visit. Register online at thunderfridays.com. You can visit NCC for Thunder Fridays and check out life at NCC. You’ll get a campus and dorm tour, meet with faculty within your desired program, chat with current NCC students, and talk with an admissions representative. Have questions about financial aid? You can meet with a Financial Aid rep and talk about financial aid opportunities. Placement assessments are also available.
This year’s dates for Thunder Fridays are: November 19, December 3, January 14, February 4, February 16 – Latino Evening, February 25, March 25, April 1, and April 22.
To find out more call 800-352-4907, email studentservices@nwicc.edu, or visit our website at nwicc.edu.
