Holyoke Community College (Holy Cross)

One College Street, Worcester, MA

Holyoke Community College, located in Holyoke, Massachusetts, was founded in 1946 to provide educational opportunities to residents in its service area. The school offers an engaged staff and faculty that provides education and services to its students to ensure goals are met and that graduates are set along the road to their future. The school serves nearly 9000 students a year, providing them with programs, services and facilities that are constantly under review to ensure they meet the needs of the modern student.

Academics

Students enrolled at Holyoke Community College may choose from a large variety of programs aimed at meeting the needs of each student by providing career training and academic transfer opportunities. Career training programs are designed to provide students the skills and abilities to enter the workforce as professionals. Students will take a mixture of courses, depending on the program, that provide theoretical and practical application of the information provided. Students will be able to practice their skills in a controlled environment, earning experience that is invaluable when seeking employment. Programs take between one and two years to complete, resulting in a certificate or degree and allowing for the pursuit of entry level positions.

Academic transfer requires students to complete the first two years of a four year education at Holyoke Community College, followed by the application to a four year institution to complete the final two year and earn a bachelor's degree. Students wishing to transfer to a Massachusetts public institution will find that agreements in place with the school ease the process. Those students seeking our of state or private school admissions should meet with a counselor prior to their first semester in order to discuss those schools' admissions requirements and develop a curriculum that best fulfills them.

Programs offered:

• Accounting
• Communication
• Culinary Arts
• Criminal Justice
• Forensic Science

Admissions and Financial Aid

Holyoke Community College is a public two year institution that maintains an open enrollment policy that allows any student that wishes to enroll to do so through by meeting the minimum requirements for admission, the submission of the application, and the payment of all fees including tuition. Students must supply previous transcripts if available and take a placement exam, which may be bypassed through the submission of previously taken standardized test scores. Students are also encouraged to participate in new student orientation and to meet with a counselor prior to registration to discuss program enrollment and develop a curriculum.

Financial aid is available in the form of loans, grants and scholarships. Individuals in need of financial assistance must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the information from which will be used to  determine a student's financial needs and aid program eligibility. Financial aid must be applied for prior to each academic year.  Students receiving aid may be chosen at random to provide additional tax information to be compared to the information provided on one's FAFSA in order to verify its accuracy.