Iowa Western Community College

601 N Main Street, Mount Pleasant, IA

Iowa Western Community College, located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, was founded in 1967, though planning for the school began in 1964. The school was established to meet the growing educational needs of the community, and its founding was authorized by seven counties. When determining where campuses should be located, the addition of Clarinda Junior College, founded in 1923 and known for its liberal arts curriculum, to the new school was approved, serving as one of the campuses with a new one to be built in Council Bluffs. Since its establishment the school has expanded, offering additional centers to its service area to maximize its offerings and services. Currently the school offers over eighty programs of study to a student body of over 5,500 annually.

Academics

Iowa Western Community College offers a large variety of career and technical programs as well as liberal arts programs aimed at academic transfer. Career and technical programs allow students to learn the skills and abilities for a particular field, preparing them for entry into the workforce as a professional. These programs are designed for students looking to sustain long term careers, and as a result provide theoretical and practical education, allowing students to implement methodologies and techniques learned in the classroom to real world settings through controlled environments. Programs take between one and two years to complete resulting in a certificate or diploma and allow the student to pursue a career starting at the entry level after graduation.

Academic transfer is achieved by completing the first two years of a bachelor's degree at IWCC, followed by applying to a college or university to transfer earned credits and complete the final two years of study. Every school has its own requirements for transfer and as a result it is recommended that students wishing to follow this track to meet with a counselor to discuss goals and develop a curriculum that best meets the transfer requirements of the student's desired school or schools.

Programs offered include:

• Automotive Technology
• Chemistry
• Business Administration
• Practical Nursing
• Criminal Justice

Admissions and Financial Aid

IWCC is an open enrollment institution that allows any student that wished to enroll to do so by meeting the minimum requirements for admission, submitting a completed application and paying all associated fees. Students should also provide transcripts and standardized test scores, and the absence of one or both may require the student to take a placement exam prior to registration. New students are encouraged to participate in orientation in order to familiarize themselves with the campus and policies, as well as to meet with a counselor to discuss goals, program enrollment and curriculum.

Financial aid is available in the form of loans, grants and scholarships. Students in need of financial assistance must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the information provided from which will be used by the financial aid office to determine a student's financial needs and aid program eligibility. Aid must be applied for prior to the start of each academic year and students may be chosen at random to provide additional information regarding their finances to be compared to their FAFSA in order to ensure its accuracy. This is due to new regulations by the federal government regarding the disbursement and acceptance of financial aid.