QCC To Hold Virtual Information Session As Fall Semester Draws Near

WORCESTER, MA— August 17, 2020 —   Quinsigamond Community College will hold a Virtual Admissions Information Night on Thursday, August 20 from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. The upcoming information session is designed to give potential students a way to learn more about the college from the comfort and safety of their homes.

“This session comes at a critical time for students, as more four-year colleges and universities are changing plans at the last minute and students are rethinking their higher education options,” said QCC’s Director of Admissions, Ai Co Abercrombie.

As the first college in the region to announce it would hold its fall semester remotely, QCC has adopted innovative ways in which to engage students through online platforms that are interactive. The college transitioned to remote instruction in March, offering students three types of remote instruction from autonomous self-paced courses, to more structured online meeting times or a combination of the two.

“We are not scrambling to readjust courses to fit an online platform.  We are well-versed in remote instruction and have been doing it for many months,” Ms. Abercrombie said, adding, “Students still have time to enroll and begin the semester without losing valuable time, and they can use the credits they earn at QCC to transfer them to a four-year school when it’s safe to do so.”

Students who planned to take in-person classes at four-year schools that are now moving to an online format have to decide if the cost differential between a community college and a four-year school is worthwhile. Community colleges are historically the most affordable form of higher education.

According to the Community College Research Center (CCRC), research shows that taking courses at a community college can benefit students who are enrolled in a four-year college. Data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS) found that students who earned between one and 10 credits at a community college during the first three years of college enrollment were attributed to a higher bachelor’s completion rate and higher wages when they entered the marketplace.

“We recognized early on the challenges of remote instruction and adapted to meet the needs of our students. We have all our support services available remotely and have instituted a Student Emergency Fund to assist students with the financial hardships that this pandemic has brought on,” QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja said. “We know this is a trying time for students and their families, but we want them to know we are here to help them succeed with their academic goals in a smarter and safer way.”

To register for QCC’s upcoming Virtual Information Session, visit www.QCC.edu/admissions/upcoming-admission-events

For more information on QCC, contact Josh Martin, Director of Institutional Communications at 508.854.7513 or jmartin [at] qcc.mass.edu

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