Community College of Vermont

The Community College of Vermont is a college system that ranks as the second largest system in the state. Founded in 1970, only 50 students initially enrolled in the 10 classes offered by the college. Just five years after opening, it gained the regional accreditation necessary to provide its students with financial aid packages. CCV slowly built and added new campuses to its system, which gives students the option of taking classes that count towards their degrees from almost anywhere in the state. It created a computer network in the 1990s to link all its campuses together and began offering online courses towards the end of the decade.

CCV now operates 12 campuses across Vermont, including those in both major and smaller cities like Newport, Middlebury and Montpelier. More than 6,000 students take classes from CCV every year. The college offers six programs for students who want to earn a certificate and 19 associate programs as well. One of the more unique features of the school is the Assessment of Prior Learning it offers. This program allows students to gain class credit for some of the real world experiences they have. The college launched this program in the hopes of making it easier for adult students to go back to school.

Community College of Vermont Accreditation Details

CCV has accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The NEASC is one of several organization responsible for granting regional accreditation to colleges and schools in regions across the country. Not only does it do an extensive research to decide if a college should get accreditation, but it does more research every decade to renew the accreditation of a college. CCV passed its renewal each time over the years since first gaining its accreditation.

Community College of Vermont Application Requirements

CCV accepts students of all types, including those who finished high school, those who earned credits from another school and those with a GED. Any previous student who went at least four semesters without taking a class and those who never attended the college will use the same application. CCV is unique because recommends that you visit the campus that is closest to your current location, even if you want to take classes on another campus, and fill out the application there. It takes most students around 10 minutes to answer the questions on the application. You need to let the college know more about where you went to school and your current address as well as your name and other basic information. CCV offers the application online too.

Once the college receives your application, it will assign you an academic adviser. That adviser will tell you how you can sign up for classes and schedule your skills assessment exam. This exam asks you some basic questions in different subjects and fields to determine whether you can skip any of the introductory courses that other students must take. If you took the ACT or SAT within the last three years, you can submit your scores rather than take this test. You'll then have the chance to apply for financial aid and sign up for classes.

Tuition and Financial Aid

CCV welcomes students from all across Vermont as well as those from other states. To qualify for the in-state tuition rate, you must show proof that you established residency in the state at least one year before beginning classes. Tuition starts at $253 per credit hour for Vermont residents and increases to $506 per credit hour for all nonresidents. The only exception is for students who qualify for the college's good neighbor program. Students living in a neighboring state in one of the counties that borders Vermont can apply for this program and see their tuition drop to $253 per credit hour. Students also face fees of $80 for any fieldwork or nontraditional work that they do. The college gives senior citizens the right to take one free class each semester.

All veterans who apply can talk with an admissions representative and get help using the GI Bill and other benefits to pay for college. When you submit the FAFSA, CCV will determine if you qualify for any of the available grants or loans. You'll need to go through loan counseling before the college will disperse your loans and go through exit counseling before you graduate. CCV has a work program designed for students that lets them work on-campus and make more than $9 an hour. You'll usually work around 10 hours a week, and the college may prevent you from working more than 20 hours a week. CCV also has its own scholarship fund and offers nearly 20 different types of scholarships that you can qualify for as a new student or once you take a few classes.

Psychology and Counseling Programs

The Community College of Vermont offers approximately 20 different programs for its students, including associate degree programs and programs that award students a certificate. Though it does not offer any specialized psychology degrees, it does offer two degree programs and a certificate program that appeal to students who want to transfer to another college.

One of those is an AA in Liberal Studies. This program lets you take a combination of courses on human behavior, human expression and scientific methods and research. You can meet the basic requirements for transferring to another college and earning a bachelor's degree there. The college also offers a certificate in substance abuse services that you can complete on any of its campuses or online. This program features 27 credits of classes like introduction to substance abuse, theory and practice of working with groups, human growth and development and introduction to case management. There is a fieldwork experience course available as well. You'll spend 15 hours going over the basics of fieldwork in a classroom setting before spending 80 hours over the course of a semester working in the field.

CCV offers 17 different psychology classes that you can take while enrolled in any of its programs. Death and dying looks at some of the special topics connected to dying, and substance abuse services and treatment focuses on the methods of treating addictions. The Community College of Vermont offers classes relating to social work like child abuse and neglect too.