Colleges and certifications
Deciding your next steps after high school can feel intimidating! Students might pursue higher education at a college or university, get work experience or enroll in a trade school. If you’re interested in receiving an advanced degree, you might debate whether to attend a community college or a traditional university.
Community colleges have many benefits. Local colleges such as Tarrant County College (TCC) offer professional certificates and basic courses you can use to replace the first two years of university credits. If the idea of going to a four-year university seems overwhelming, community colleges provide an easier and more cost-effective option.
Taking two years of classes at a local community college can also save money. If you’re concerned about affording university tuition, you can make it more manageable by starting at a community college. The lower costs help you take out fewer loans, creating a better financial position.
More reasons you may choose to attend a community college:
Community colleges have many benefits. Local colleges such as Tarrant County College (TCC) offer professional certificates and basic courses you can use to replace the first two years of university credits. If the idea of going to a four-year university seems overwhelming, community colleges provide an easier and more cost-effective option.
Taking two years of classes at a local community college can also save money. If you’re concerned about affording university tuition, you can make it more manageable by starting at a community college. The lower costs help you take out fewer loans, creating a better financial position.
More reasons you may choose to attend a community college:
- Smaller Class Sizes
- If you prefer a more personal lecture style and more interaction with your instructors, community college may be right for you! Classes at a community college tend to hold fewer students than at a university. Instructors work with you closely, ensuring you understand course concepts and have the tools for success.
- No SAT or ACT scores
- If you can’t take the SAT or ACT or have low scores, community college applications might better suit you!
- Career Preparation Courses
- Community Colleges let you work toward career-specific certificates and academic degrees. Many community colleges, such as TCC, also offer associate degrees, which transfer readily to most universities. An associate degree will also allow you to enter the workforce with a higher average salary than someone with only a high school diploma!
- New Academic Reputation
- If you had a lower GPA in high school or low SAT/ACT scores, you might not immediately qualify for a four-year university. But don't worry! Instead of giving up too soon, build your GPA at a community college first, then transfer. Universities will emphasize your community college grades over your high school GPA, allowing you to make the switch!
- A Flexible Schedule
- Another reason to go to community college is the flexible class times. Full-time schedules don’t work for everyone, and community colleges are excellent at making education attainable for different needs. If you have to work part-time or have family obligations during the day, you can take night and weekend classes instead.
Why tarrant county college (tcc)?
Certifications: Other top ranking trade schools
- Lincoln Tech in Grand Prairie, TX www.lincolntech.edu/campus/grand-prairie-tx
- Lincoln Tech has been in operation for 75 years, specializes in career training in the automotive and skilled trades industries. Among its programs are automotive technology, collision repair and refinishing, diesel technology, HVAC, machining and manufacturing, and welding technology. Courses are also available for students of health science, culinary arts, cosmetology, and information technology. The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges has granted accreditation to the campus.
- CCI Training Center Dallas Texas www.ccitraining.edu/contact-us/dallas-campus/
- The institution offers programs for an immediate career or a foundation for further education at a university. Its programs' length ranges from six weeks to 24 months and focuses on fields of information technology, medical and healthcare, and business and accounting. The school facilitates learning in both online and on-campus settings. The school is recognized by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training.
- The College of Health Care Professions Fort Worth www.chcp.edu/locations/fort-worth-texas-campus/
- The College of Health Care Professions Fort Worth offers a wide selection of programs to individuals who want to take healthcare and medical support fields. Since 1988, students have been given opportunities to cardiovascular sonography, diagnostic medical sonography, and pharmacy technician curricula.
- Chamberlain University www.chamberlain.edu/nursing-school/texas/irving
- Chamberlain University is a nursing school serving students in Fort Worth. It carries over 130 years of history catering to individuals aspiring to become nurses and looking to start their journey in the medical field, as well as nursing professionals wanting to advance their careers.
- The Culinary School of Fort Worth www.csftw.edu /
- The Culinary School of Fort Worth teaches baking and cooking techniques and professional practices. It offers a professional culinary certificate program that includes hands-on training and mentorship from chefs and on-the-job training in a real-world culinary environment. The school has a small instructor-to-student ratio and fully equipped commercial-grade kitchens. Students also take advantage of the financial aid and job placement assistance programs.
- I.T.S. Academy of Beauty - Fort Worth www.olympusbeauty.com/location-fort-worth/
- I.T.S. Academy of Beauty - Fort Worth is part of a chain of beauty schools offering programs to individuals aspiring to become cosmetologists, nail technicians, estheticians, and barbers. For more than 40 years, the academy has been giving students access to industry-standard tools and practices and hands-on training that help them improve their skills in their chosen fields. It has also received accreditation from the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences and the Department of Education.
- Texas Academy of Dental Assisting dentalassistantfortworth.com/
- Texas Academy of Dental Assisting offers a dental assisting training program approved by the Texas Workforce Commission. The course can be completed in 12 weeks with 72 hours of lab works and lectures. Its team of hygienists, dental assistants, and dentists conducts lectures in a modern facility and training in a real dental office. The school aims to provide opportunities for students and meet the staffing needs of employers. Owner Richard S. McDonald has more than 35 years of dental experience.
- Lindsey-Cooper Refrigeration School in Irving, TX www.lindseycooperschool.com/
- This institution has over 1,000 graduates with a 99% rate from employers who continue to send their employees to train in the school. The school offers training programs for HVAC/R technicians, with options for small classes and individual instructions. Its programs include 108 hours of classroom teaching and lab work, which covers magnetism, heating, transformers, metering devices, and wiring diagrams. The school also holds an EPA certification program every three weeks.
- Hollenstein Career & Technology Center www.emsisd.com/hctc
- Hollenstein Career & Technology Center is an institution that offers a wide range of pathways and program areas for individuals in Fort Worth and the surrounding areas. The professionals at this institution design and implement a system by constructing personal education plans to encourage high expectations and meet each student's academic, social, emotional, and extracurricular requirements. They provide health and science certifications that aim to deliver therapeutic, diagnostic, health information, and support services. Hollenstein Career & Technology Center has courses for emergency medical technicians, phlebotomy, world health theory, and sports medicine.