Monday, September 28, 2009
I think it's a bit of synchronicity that just days after posting my last blog, I started seeing signs for Eastern Gateway Community College popping up around town. Apparently, I need to keep better tabs on what's going on in the Mahoning Valley :). Anyway, they are now offically open. They're site is located here - http://www.egatewaycc.us/ and they do have a smattering of course offerings to start off with.
I hate to start off with criticisms BUT most of the course offerings are online only, what they do offer in person is spread over 4 or 5 borrowed campuses, they don't seem to offer an actual degree or certification in anything at all - just random courses and worst of all, their prices are high. I'm sorry but $96 to $116 per course hour is not affordable AND there doesn't seem to be any discount for additional hours. If you reference say, the Houston Community College Systems' 2009-2010 Tuition and fee schedule you'll see that a properly established community college will start off with lower rates ($87.50 FLAT for in district students) and then DISCOUNT for additional hours tacked on. So, for instance, if I took 10 credit hours here at $96 an hour, with no discount, I pay $960. Ouch. At our example school (HCC) those same 10 hours, starting at a somewhat similar rate ($87.50), end up costing me only $571.00!!!!
Now to be fair(ish) - I looked into what seems to be EGCC's parent company (or partner), Jefferson Community College, and they don't charge much less (though they actually have real courses and degrees) and even found this sad little table - http://ns3.jcc.edu/jcc/PageList.aspx?pageid=10 basically showing that state and community college education in Ohio is a rip off.
As much as I would love to spend all day analyzing this, I have real work to get to. So, for now, I guess it's good someone came here but they really need to get their act together. In essence, we STILL don't have a community college, no matter what they "say".
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