As the college application season begins, seniors nationwide become stressed and, to some extent, indifferent about the admission process—completely opposite of how they viewed this season in the previous years. Perhaps, it’s due to the arduous nature of college applications, or the pressure students receive from being admitted to a top-notch school, whether it be from their parents, teachers, or even their friends. However, with this also comes misinformation, especially regarding community college. Since the beginning of time (or at least the time I was born), community colleges have been looked down upon, often attached to the stereotype that stamps one’s enrollment with big fat letters spelling “FAILURE”. However, as one adequate and open-minded being might point out, this isn’t always the case—and the majority of the time, it’s, in fact, the opposite. For example, the Honors College at Miami Dade College. Although seldom mentioned, the Honors College is a great way for students to not only save money but transfer to renowned colleges and universities after they receive their associate degree. Therefore, here’s what you should know about the Honors College at MDC before applying to other schools this Fall:

Transfer

          Let’s begin with what the majority would like to know. There is a variety of schools that MDC Honors College students have transferred to after they earned their associate degree, ranging from some of the biggest liberal arts colleges to research universities. This program truly blows my mind; almost every single person from the Honors College ends up in an amazing school, providing them with ample opportunities. As per The Honors College website, “47% transfer to institutions ranked U.S. News and World Report top 100 colleges nationally.” Among these institutions lies Princeton University, Cornell University, Amherst College, University of Southern California, Stanford University, Georgetown University, Williams College, Yale University, and many more. In fact, my sister, Guoda, attended the Honors College and graduated as class of 2018, transferring to Claremont McKenna College, one of the best liberal arts colleges in the nation (especially for her major, international relations). Once transferring, my sister was presented the opportunity to work at Eurofound, a European Union agency focusing on improving work and life balance and employment conditions in the European Union. In fact, before transferring she was already presented opportunities from The Honors College, such as attending a seminar in Salzburg, Austria. Her friends from The Honors College are attending excellent schools as well, such as Yale, MIT, Columbia, Pomona, Cornell, and Duke. Overall, The Honors College is truly a beacon of ambition.

Debts

          You have none. This is probably the most attractive part of MDC Honors if the rate of admissions didn’t leave an impression on you already. The Honors College website states, “Once qualified applicants are accepted, they receive the Honors College Fellows Award, which covers all in-state tuition, fees, and books.” Thus, you’re actually gaining money if you have received other scholarships, such as Bright Futures. You’re also gaining money if you’re qualified for financial aid. So, really, you should have no loans or debts by the end of the two years at the college—meaning, you have the ability to transfer with money in your pocket (a privilege many students don’t have after High School). Of course, since you’re most likely enrolling as a Junior once you transfer, you won’t be paying much at that institution either (assuming you get some sort of financial aid or scholarship). It’s really a win-win situation no matter which way you look at it.

Application

          The application opens October 1st, with a priority consideration deadline following January 15th, 2020, and the final deadline following March 5th, 2020. It’s important to note, though, that there is a set of requirements for applying since it’s not just a community college but rather an Honors College. The requirements are: 

• No past college credit (except for dual enrollment credit)
• Minimum GPA of 3.7 (weighted or unweighted)
• MDC College Ready Standardized Test Scores (on their website)

I wish all seniors the best of luck when applying to schools this fall season, I know you have it in you. But remember, there are always opportunities awaiting elsewhere if things don’t work out as planned!