Stop buying Books. Stop paying Fees.
Dear Students,
College pricing isn’t very transparent. There’s tuition, of course, but most colleges pile on all sorts of fees too: application fees, technology fees, lab fees… the fees can cost as much as the tuition. What’s worse, the cost of textbooks is simply out of control. Many students report going without textbooks at least once because they just don’t have the money.
It’s time somebody did something about it. That somebody is us. Starting Fall 2018, Columbia College will charge a single tuition rate for its online and adult-serving venues– charging no fees of any kind, while also providing textbooks. Truth + tuition = Truition
When we say no fees, we mean it. No proctoring fee, no parking fee, no graduation fee… nothing. And all of your books will be provided at no additional charge– even expensive lab kits.
New undergraduate students will pay $375 per credit hour, while new graduate students will pay $490.
But as a current student, you will pay a lower rate— while receiving the same great benefits:
- Undergraduate Online courses: $335 per credit hour
- Undergraduate In-Seat courses: $295 per credit hour
- Undergraduate Active military students: $250 per credit hour*
- Graduate In-Seat courses: $410 per credit hour
- Graduate Online courses: $435 per credit hour
I’m excited to share this news with you. Learn more at truition.CCIS.edu or contact your academic advisor.
At Columbia College, our mission is to improve lives, and Truition helps us get there. Thanks for reading and best of luck with the summer session!
Sincerely,
Dr. Scott Dalrymple
President, Columbia College
Truition prices are established exclusively for undergraduate and graduate students taking classes online or at one of our adult higher education venues across the nation. Other exclusive programs are in place for students attending our residential campus in Columbia, Missouri.
*Active duty service members, including the National Guard and Reserve, pay a Truition rate of $250 per credit hour. Columbia College provides a military grant to cover the cost of books.
Making the most of virtual career fairs
By Grossnickle Career Services Center
In the past few years, virtual career fairs have become increasingly popular with employers. They offer an inexpensive way to reach a diverse range of candidates. For the job or graduate program seeker, they can provide the opportunity to make an impression on a recruiter that you may never have a chance to meet in person.
Job applicants can find out inside tips on applying, learn more about the company and, most importantly, influence the recruiter positively toward you as a candidate. For folks thinking about graduate programs, there are fairs that specifically aim toward continuing your studies. Whether it’s a virtual meet-and-greet with a specific program or a larger fair where you meet reps from many schools at once, these events can be an innovative and powerful way to help lead you to a decision.
To find these events, head to Handshake – Columbia College’s free, online career management software for students and alumni. Because participating in these fairs is not necessarily intuitive, you might wonder, what is the best to handle the events? Here are a few tips to get started:
- Research the organizations attending the event
Spend time looking at the websites of the attending organizations. What positions are they offering? What is their organizational mission? The more you know about employers and their available positions, the more you will impress them.
- Have your resume ready, polished and reviewed
Often you will upload your resume prior to the fair, and it will appear on screen. Having a resume that clearly explains the value you bring to an employer and is error free will go a long way.
- Practice a short introduction and be ready to ask questions
Often the recruiters will want you to initiate the conversation. Whether it’s over webcam or using your computer keyboard, a short introduction of your name, school, major, expected graduation date and planned career path will help kick off the discussion. Also, be ready to ask questions. Questions could be about a specific opportunity, the organization or just general questions about the industry. But don’t ask questions about information that can be easily found on their website, as that may make you look unprepared or disinterested.
- Dress up
If it’s a fair that will have a video chat component, for obvious reasons, you will want to dress professionally. But even if it isn’t, dressing professionally can help put you in the right mindset to make your best first impression.
- Be sure you are communicating appropriately and professionally
A lot of online communication is very informal. Use professional communication, avoid text speak and showcase your enthusiasm.
- Follow up
If you have a good talk with a recruiter, follow up with an email to thank them for their time and continue to build the relationship. Additionally, you can connect with them on LinkedIn.
You can find more information on succeeding at virtual career fairs by checking out articles such as “12 Ways to Make the Most out of a Virtual Career Fair” and “How to Succeed in Virtual Job Fairs.” If you’re in need of additional advice, you can also reach out to the Grossnickle Career Services Center at (573) 875-7425 or email careerservices@ccis.edu.
Checking in on your school finances
By Department of Student Success and Money Stacks
The summer months are a great time for rest and relaxation after the rush of the fall and spring 
semesters. They’re also a good time to take stock and plan ahead, whether you’re taking a semester off from school or still taking class or two.
It doesn’t take much time to get your school finances in order and see where you stand before the fall arrives. Here are a few suggestions for those who want to use the summer months to prepare their finances before the new academic year hits.
- File your 2018-19 FAFSA Application
That is, if you haven’t already filed your FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is necessary to determine whether you’re eligible for federal and state financial aid. Submission deadlines vary by state, and you can go to the FAFSA website or consult this handout to see which deadlines apply to you. If you have already completed your FAFSA application, take this time to monitor your Cougarmail to make sure nothing additional is required and your electronic award letter is accurate.
- Revisit your graduation plan
Checking in with an advisor on how long it will be until you anticipate graduating can help you to estimate the time and cost it will take to complete your degree. Start planning for how much aid you’ll need to get through the 2018-19 school year, and how much you will be able to pay out of pocket. This will also help you formulate an estimate of how much total student loan borrowing you’ll have during your college career and what would be a viable repayment option for you. This also might be an opportunity for some people to estimate total student loan borrowing and estimate repayment. The studentloans.gov website has a valuable Repayment Estimator tool to help you plan for your payments down the road.
- Apply for outside scholarships
It never hurts to see how much supplementary aid you can get your hands on as well. Sites such as collegescholarships.org are helpful resources when it comes to finding scholarships for nontraditional students.
If you need any more tips about financially planning your way through college, the Columbia College Department of Student Success and Money Stacks is here to help. You can contact the Department of Student Success and Money Stacks at (573) 875-7860 or studentsuccess@ccis.edu.
How long does it take to complete a degree?
By Maria Haynie for Ready.Aim.Hire.
Biological clocks, circadian rhythms, the red countdown timer at the crosswalk — we’re hard-wired to be aware of the passing of time. No one knows this better than the busy student.
Whether you’re a planner or a procrastinator, all students must contend with the timing, balancing and scheduling of academic life. While we have lots of advice for fitting education into your life, it’s also important to know how long the whole degree could take from start to finish.
So, how long will it take you? The short answer: it depends.
No matter where you attend college, an associate degree requires a minimum of 60 credit hours, and a bachelor’s degree requires a minimum of 120 credit hours. In addition, students must meet degree requirements and complete 30 credits for a bachelor’s degree and 15 credits for an associate degree with Columbia College.
A variety of factors will determine how long it will take a person to complete an associate or bachelor’s degree, including but not limited to incoming transfer credit and the number of courses a student wants to commit to each semester. One of the great things about Columbia College is the flexibility that allows students to progress at a pace that works best for them.
Here are the two main factors that affect how long it takes to get to graduation for busy adult learners.
CREDITS AND EXPERIENCE YOU ALREADY HAVE
“Students coming to Columbia College who have taken courses or earned military credit previously are often able to shorten the time to degree completion,” said Joie Hendricks, senior academic advisor at Columbia College Online Student Services.
Even if you’ve never taken college classes before, you might be able to save time by getting credit for experiences. Students with a background in law enforcement may be able to earn college credit for police academy training in the PIC and PiLE programs.
Students can also test out of classes by proving they already know the content. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams and DSST exams are common ways to get credit for prior knowledge.
Hendricks offers this advice for those looking to test out of classes: “Students interested in taking CLEP and DSST exams should always check with their advisor to ensure the exam will transfer in as needed and that taking a CLEP or DSST exam will not interfere with a student’s residency requirement.”
A MANAGEABLE WORKLOAD
“It’s also possible for students to take advantage of our six-session structure to earn an associate degree in under two years or a bachelor’s in as little as three-and-a-half years,” Hendricks said.
If you can handle a greater workload while in school, finding a program with multiple sessions can help. You could graduate faster and start enjoying the benefits of your degree sooner. Shorter class sessions also mean it’s easier to set your own pace and continue to adjust your workload as needed every eight weeks. You aren’t committed to your class schedule for months, like with traditional semesters.
“A full-time course load for an online student is two courses per eight-week session,” Hendricks said. “With six sessions per year, a student can take 12 courses per year or up to 18 if the student can handle a greater workload. Our flexibility allows students to customize how long it takes to complete a degree.”
Resource guides at Stafford Library
By Stafford Library
Are you looking for resources to help you with a class or a specific assignment? Are you needing 
information related to the subject of your major or minor? Take a look at the library’s resource guides on the library’s website at https://library.ccis.edu or on the library’s resource guide web page at https://library.ccis.edu/guides. The guides are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week for all Columbia College students.
Resource guides help students find articles, databases, books, e-books, videos and websites pertinent to an assignment, course, topic or subject. The guides provide links to resources and present search strategies to use. The librarians work with the faculty in creating these guides so that students can find resources specific to their research needs.
Instructors may request a guide to be created for a specific assignment, course, or topic by emailing the library at library@ccis.edu or calling (573) 875-7381.
There are four types of resource guides available to help students:
- Assignment guides are created to assist students with an assignment in a particular course. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Resource Guide is an example. This guide provides information for an assignment in the ARTS 111 – Arts and Ideas class.
- Course guides are specifically designed for a course. For an example, see the English Composition II – ENGL 112 Resource Guide.
- Topic guides are created to help students research one particular aspect of a subject. The Industry Ratios Resource Guide is an example of such a guide. It was created to help students find and analyze industry ratios as they do work in various business administration classes.
- Subject guides are created for Columbia College majors and minors in order to help students do research in that subject field. A good example of a subject guide is the History Resource Guide.
Remember, you can contact the library staff for help by calling (573) 875-7381 or (800) 231-2391, by emailing library@ccis.edu, texting (573) 535-5449 or sending a chat by clicking on the chat link on the library’s website at library.ccis.edu.
