RBC I A new agreement between the Colorado Community College System and Colorado Mesa University (CMU) will help community colleges students succeed in earning a baccalaureate degree.
Under the agreement, first-time freshmen applying for admission to any of the 13 Colorado Community College System (CCCS) institutions, including Colorado Northwestern Community College in Rangely, may now enroll in a new program called the Colorado Mesa University Admissions Promise while still attending community college.
Students in the program will automatically be admitted to CMU without having to submit their high school record or ACT/SAT scores, and their application fee will be waived. After earning an associate’s degree from a CCCS institution, a student will begin as a junior at CMU without having to retake any of the prescribed freshman/sophomore coursework.
“Our community colleges look to strategically remove barriers to the educational aspirations of our students,” CCCS President Dr. Nancy McCallin said. “This partnership provides a clear pathway from high school to an associate’s degree to a baccalaureate degree in an affordable and seamless manner. This program will increase college degree attainment and student success to ensure the competitiveness of Colorado’s workforce in today’s global economy.”
“We really value our partnership with the Colorado Community Colleges System and we think this agreement will go a long way toward helping students achieve their goals,” CMU President Tim Foster said. “Working together, advisors from both institutions will now have more tools at their disposal to help students save money and earn their baccalaureate degree in a timely fashion.”
Advisors often play a critical role in a student’s degree completion. High quality academic advising has been repeatedly shown to have a positive impact on student retention. This partnership helps students from the time they begin their studies and then ensures the students meet regularly with the advisors to assure they are on track.
