(RED OAK, Texas) – With Texas State Technical College’s spring semester coming to a close, the deadline is fast approaching for prospective students to enroll for the summer semester.
Enrollment closes May 5 for TSTC’s summer semester and August 25 for the fall semester, or when programs reach full capacity.
For students still considering where they want to go to college, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. TSTC’s North Texas campus enrollment coaches and recruitment representatives recently provided a list of prospective students’ most-asked questions.
Megan Redmond, assistant director of Enrollment Management at the campus, provided some answers.
How much will it cost me?
It depends per program, but we do have the estimated totals for each of our programs on the website (tstc.edu) and for each degree option. So for certificates of completion and associate degrees, the costs are all listed on the website.
Do you accept FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) funds?
Yes, we do. We are a state college, so we encourage all students to complete the FAFSA.
Can I use U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits?
Yes. We are one of the preferred schools for veterans to use. We have an entire Veteran Services team that will help you figure out which benefits are going to be best for you to use.
Will my college credits transfer in from another college?
It depends. We do evaluate all transcripts that we receive. If it is an accredited college, we will do our best to transfer them in if they will fit into your degree plan.
How long are your semesters and programs?
Each semester is 15 weeks. And we’re a tri-semester school, so we do fall, spring and summer. The majority of our level-one certificates are three semesters each, and our associate degrees are usually four to five semesters. It does vary per program. You can find the curriculum breakdowns on the website, or you can ask your enrollment coach.
How much of the coursework is hands-on versus online?
All of our programs, even though they’re very hands-on, have a little bit of online coursework; we even have some that are fully online. Even the very hands-on, in-person programs do have some online homework and quizzes. But the majority of your coursework will be the hands-on material, and learning and perfecting those skills so that you’re prepared for the workforce.
What’s the difference between a certificate and an associate degree?
The main difference is the general education courses. The associate degrees usually require about five general education classes. Those would be like math, English, and then a couple of electives. The certificate programs are only technical courses.
How much money will I make after I graduate?
It depends on the certificate or associate degree you get, which field you go into, and if you have experience prior to or outside of TSTC.
What else should prospective students know?
TSTC is focused on getting students jobs. TSTC has an entire Career Services team that is going to try to help students get jobs after graduation in the field that they want to be in and making the amount of money they want to make. That’s TSTC’s biggest priority — placing more Texans in great-paying jobs — and we really hold to that mission.
For more information, Redmond suggested looking at the program breakdowns on the website, scheduling an appointment with an enrollment coach at tstc.edu/admissions/advising, or reaching out directly via the contact information listed on the webpage.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
