South Texas College

Accredited, Affordable Career-Oriented Education at STC

South Texas College appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Online Degree Programs For In-State Students. South Texas College is a public, state-funded AACI member in the Rio Grande Valley. It was named Diverse Issues in Higher Education’s #1 best school for Hispanics. It offers:

• 78 associate degrees
• five bachelor’s degrees
• 57 certificate programs
• 35 fully online degrees
• Dual Enrollment Academies

It has  a 23:1 student/teacher ratio. The A.A.S. in Physical Therapy Assistant starts its 63-credit, CAPTE-accredited McAllen sequence each Fall with three practica. It has a 100 percent licensure exam success. The 60-credit A.A. in Psychological Science studies human behavior in 2000-level major courses from Lifespan Growth to Social Psychology. It offers Psi Chi membership for 2+2 transfers to:

• Baylor
• Lamar
• UTRGV, and more.

The online B.A.T. in Technology Management has developed a 120-credit, SACS-accredited curriculum.  It has accelerated seven-week courses from Organizational Design to Computer Programming. It has an 87 percent job placement. The B.A.T. in Medical & Health Services Management follows a 60-credit, two-year completion track. Associate degree students build atop online courses like Risk Management with a practicum at:

• McAllen Heart Hospital
• Laredo Medical Center
• Christus Spohn Hospital
• Solara Health, and more.

Other South Texas degrees include:

• A.A.S in Diesel Technology
• A.A.S. in Law Enforcement
• A.S. in Mathematics
• A.A.S. in Welding
• A.A.S. in Culinary Arts
• RN to B.S. in Nursing.

About South Texas College

South Texas College originated in June 1993 when Governor Ann Richards signed Texas Senate Bill 251. It established South Texas Community College for Hildalgo County citizens. That September, President Shirley Reed welcomed a diverse inaugural class of 1,058 coeds. In 1997, the E-STC Virtual Campus was launched for distance education. In 1999, STCC was allocated $20 million to start its Starr County Center extension. In 2000, South Texas Community College created its first 2+2 transfer pathway to UT-Brownsville. In 2003, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board authorized STCC for bachelor’s degrees. One year later, the South Texas College name was adopted. In 2010, STC earned the “Leader College” status from Achieving the Dream. In 2011, STC founded the North American Advanced Manufacturing Research & Education Initiative. In 2015, South Texas College began its popular Robotics & Automation Summer Camp. Budgeting $181.73 million, South Texas College now employs 645 full-time and 424 part-time faculty. They teach 31,949 undergrads:

• online
• on its 20-acre Pecan campus in McAllen
• at seven regional centers

It has more than 60 clubs like the Gamers Guild and a 72 percent retention rate. In 2013, STC accepted the Kresge Foundation’s Leah Meyer Austin Institutional Success Leadership Award. In 2017, South Texas received the Hispanic-Serving Excelencia in Education Award. South Texas College also won the 2012 ACCT Dale Ensign Trustee Leadership Award of Excellence . Niche ranked STC:

•   America’s 76th safest campus
• 257th best location
• 259th best student life

Hispanic Outlook ranked South Texas:

• sixth for computer science
• seventh for teaching
• fourth for criminal justice degrees

The Aspen Prize finalist was the U.S. Department of Education’s #1 most affordable Texas four-year institution. College Factual ranked STC:

• 19th for construction trades
• 165th for engineering technologies
• 98th for allied health programs

South Texas College Accreditation Details

South Texas College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)  This 11-state Southeast Region accreditor is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and Texas Higher Education Coordination Board (THECB). The Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) also lists these current South Texas accreditations:

• Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
• Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
• Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
• Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
• National Institute for Metalworking Skills
• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
• Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management
• National Automotive Technical Education Foundation
• Committee on Accreditation of Education Programs for Emergency Medical Service Professions

South Texas College Application Requirements

Getting into South Texas College is classified “least selective” by the U.S. News & World Report since 100 percent of the 10,854 Fall 2018 entrants were openly enrolled. First-year freshmen still must complete an approved secondary diploma or equivalency certificate. Dual Enrollment Academies are available to high schoolers with at least:

• 351 reading scores
• 340 writing scores
• 350 math TSI scores

Most associate programs don’t list minimum grades. The Nursing & Allied Health Department mandates cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or better. Bachelor of Applied Technology majors need overall GPAs above 2.50. The B.A.T. in Technology Management specifically demands at least 19 ACT or 910 SAT scores. A.A.S. in Emergency Medical Technology cohorts must be age 18 or older with EMT-Basic certification. The RN to B.S. in Nursing seeks candidates with unencumbered Texas licensure and minimum 2.75 GPAs. International students generally need 500 pBT or 61 iBT TOEFL scores and higher. South Texas College generally has rolling admission year-round. Final deadlines are:

• August 25th for Fall
• January 15th for Spring
• July 31st for Summer

Certain programs have specific deadlines, though. For instance, A.A.S. in Physical Therapy Assistant cohorts must file by July 10th. The A.A.S. in Nursing closes on June 16th and October 27th. EMT Paramedic to RN Track students are considered until June 25th. The Dual Enrollment Academics have priority dates of November 15th and April 13th. Prospective students complete the ApplyTexas Application online for $0. Registrars mail official transcripts to PO Box 9701 in McAllen, TX 78502. Supplemental steps must be fulfilled, such as:

• the test score submission
• residency verification
• personal interview
• financial affidavit
• I-901 form

Contact (855) 468-6782 or admissions@southtexascollege.edu with questions.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2019-20, South Texas College is charging in-district undergrads $77 per credit. Out-of-district Texas residents spend $87 per credit. Non-resident tuition is $200 per credit. Competency-based courses are priced $850 to $1,500 apiece. The Online B.A.S. in Organizational Leadership costs everyone $750 per course. Students pay the:

• $150 registration fee
• $30 technology fee
• $12 learning support fee

Electronic distance learning courses add a $10 fee per credit. Studying full-time incurs:

• $1,995 in-district
• $2,145 out-of-district
• $3,840 out-of-state each semester

Annual totals are $3,990, $4,290, and $7,680 respectively. STC budgets $5,974 for off-campus room and board plus $1,200 for textbooks each year. The Financial Aid Department helps 91 percent of new full-time STC learners enroll with $5,289 median assistance. Institutional funds include:

• Constancia Oliva Scholarship
• Gloria Fitch Scholarship
• Victoria Quintanilla Scholarship
• Veterans Memorial Scholarship
• Nadia & Lauren Scholarship
• Good Neighbor Scholarship
• RGV Quilt Guild Scholarship
• Senator Chuy Hinojosa Scholarship
• Charles Robinson History Scholarship
• Gene Haas Scholarship
• Dr. Garza Early Childhood Development Scholarship
• Starr Psychology Club Scholarship
• Jeremy McLeaish Scholarship
• Kenedy Scholarship

The Dr. John Carroll Scholarship gifts $1,000 annually to A.A. in Drama majors with cumulative GPAs above 2.5. The $2,000 McAllen Medical Center Foundation Scholarship selects A.A.S. students in health care programs with 2.5 or better GPAs. Federal programs, such as the Pell Grant or Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, require FAFSA applications coded 031034. Locals also apply for:

• the TEXAS Grant
• Educational Opportunity Grant
• Texas Public Educational Grant
• Texas Armed Services Scholarship, and others.

Search through seven academic divisions with 135+ in-demand vocational programs placed 25th overall by Community College Week at the South Texas College website.

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