NOVEMBER 10, 2015
Start at ACTC for University Transfer
At Ashland Community and Technical College, students can prepare for transfer into more than 100 bachelor degree programs offered by four-year colleges and universities throughout the region.
Nationally, nearly half of all undergraduates are at community colleges – and two-thirds plan to eventually transfer for a bachelor’s degree. The numbers are similar for Kentucky. Starting at ACTC offers many advantages.
Saving money for the same education is one advantage. Tuition at ACTC is considerably less than at universities and four-year colleges in the region. Those eligible for financial aid often find that Federal Pell grants and other aid can cover all or most of their tuition expenses.
Louisa resident Jeremiah Maynard came to ACTC because it was affordable and close to home. “Students who can’t afford a large university can fulfill their general education requirements at ACTC at a third of the cost.” He graduated in May 2015 and transferred to the University of Kentucky in Mechanical Engineering.
The general education classes at ACTC are the same as those required at four-year institutions. Because ACTC is an accredited college, those general education classes will transfer to nearly every four-year college and university in the country.
Small class sizes makes learning easier, with more opportunities for class participation and assistance from the professor.
Being on small campuses also helps with the transition to college, with people who know your name and a variety of easy-to-find services. These services include tutoring, math and English labs staffed by faculty, and a variety of student support services.
Ciara James, a 2014 Boyd County High School graduate, plans to complete an AA degree at ACTC and transfer to Ohio University for a major in sound engineering, “I started at ACTC to get used to the college atmosphere before leaving home.”
Another advantage is quality instruction. Teaching students is the focus of ACTC faculty. Their goals are student learning, and they are available for one-on-one discussions and help with class assignments.
ACTC gives students more time to decide on a career. Many new students are unsure about what they want to do or where they want to transfer. Two years of college gives students time to try out different fields while completing the general education classes that are required at all four-year institutions.
And finally, ACTC is close to home, which is an advantage to many students who want to stay near their family and job responsibilities.
“I decided to attend ACTC because honestly it was close to home and affordable,” said Mayra Mendez, an Argillite resident. “I actually started my education at a four-year institution, but I never felt motivated while I was there.”
“I considered just getting an Associate’s Degree at ACTC, but once I got here, my advisors and instructors convinced me otherwise,” Mendez said. She earned an Associate in Arts degree in 2014. She works full time in the ACTC Advising Center while pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at Morehead State University.
ACTC Transfer Options
ACTC students may transfer to any Kentucky public university through the KY General Education Transfer Agreement. As part of the Kentucky Community & Technical College System, ACTC students may also transfer through statewide reciprocity agreements in many fields.
ACTC also has specific transfer programs, often called 2+2 programs, which allow students to complete an associate degree at ACTC and transfer smoothly into a bachelor’s degree program at a specific university. Students follow a curriculum that lists all the courses to take at ACTC before transfer.
ACTC and Eastern Kentucky University have a 2+2 Aviation Pathway. The plan allows students to complete an ACTC associate degree, an EKU Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation-Aerospace Technology, FAA pilot certificates and ratings, and 1,000-hour power certificate.
ACTC has transfer programs with Marshall University in Business Administration, Biology, Chemistry, Early Childhood Education, Forensic Chemistry and Journalism.
Transfer programs with Morehead State University are offered in Business Administration, Nursing-BSN Completion Track and Social Work. MSU also offers a Technology Management program for associate degree graduates in technology-related fields. ACTC and MSU jointly employ transfer advisor Hope Perkey to help students with class choices for transfer. Perkey can be contacted at hperkey0001@kctcs.edu.
Transfer programs with Shawnee State University are available in Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Computer Engineering Technology, Education, Environmental Engineering Technology, History, International Relations, Plastics Engineering Technology, Psychology, Sociology and Sport Studies. Also ACTC general education courses in Allied Health can be counted toward a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy.
A transfer program with Ohio Valley University in West Virginia is available in Business Administration with a major in Organizational Management.
A nursing articulation agreement with Kentucky Christian University is available to help ACTC students transfer into KCU’s Bachelor of Science Degree Nursing Program.
ACTC graduates have an additional option of completing bachelor’s and masters’ degrees in Ashland, with Lindsey Wilson College and Morehead State University-Ashland classes at the College Drive Campus.
The Advising Center can help with your transfer options and the courses needed for a specific transfer program. To start at ACTC this spring, go to ashland.kctcs.edu for admissions information.
Class Explores Health Careers
At Ashland Community and Technical College, students interested in health care can get college credit for exploring their career options and engaging with professionals in different health care fields.
“When you want to learn about a career field, it helps to talk with someone in that field,” said Dr. Mary Catherine Flath, ACTC Professor of Anatomy and Physiology. She facilitates the one-credit Introduction to Health Science (HSE 101) class that is offered each semester.
The class this fall has a different presenter each week from fields including nursing, medicine, pharmacy, osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, dentistry, and physician assistant. Students enrolled in the class get a broad view of the career paths available to graduates.
Each class session is also open to other students who want to find out about one particular field. Faculty and staff are invited to attend in order to find out more about the career paths their students may be considering.
Students get to learn what the job is like from people who do the jobs, and they can get details on university transfer programs from the university advisors. They also learn about the education required for various fields and can get tips on handling student challenges from former students.
“The basic purpose of the class is to help students make better, more thought-out career choices,” Flath said. “With more information from ‘insiders’ in a field, they can better evaluate how that career will fit into their goals and life circumstances.”
Flath has been facilitating the course since 1995, and the roster of presenters now includes some of her former students.
Angela D. Sullivan, for instance, graduated from ACTC in December 2013 and is a Certified Surgical Technologist at Pikeville Medical Center. She made a presentation November 6 about her life on the job. “I love what I’m doing now, and feel that ACTC prepared me well for the job,” she said.
“I took the HSE classes when I was student and found them to be very interesting and informative,” Sullivan said. “I’m happy to come and share my experiences with students who are deciding on their futures.”
Other classes this fall will feature ACTC alumni and former instructor Jetta Derasin, a Nurse Practitioner at the VA Medical Center in Huntington, and representatives from the UK Physician Assistant Program and the UK College of Pharmacy.
