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Colorado Mountain College ranked third most affordable college in U.S.

John Colson
Post Independent staff
Tyler Stableford / CMC
Staff Photo |

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — Colorado Mountain College, which operates community college campuses across the Colorado Rockies, was named the third most affordable college in the U.S. for the 2011-2012 school year, in an annual list issued recently by the U.S. Department of Education.

The list, on which CMC was the only Colorado institution named, was compiled by the College Affordability and Transparency Center, which is part of the Education Department.



According to CMC, tuition for the 2011-2012 school year totaled $1,770 for a beginning, full-time student, compared with the national average of $7,135.

The list of the most affordable colleges is intended to help students make informed decisions, according to the website http://collegecost.ed.gov/catc/#. To view the list on that website, choose the sector “public, 4-year or above,” report type “lowest tuition” and then “generate report.”

This is the second time the school has gotten good marks in national surveys of higher-education institutions that offer four-year degrees.



In a report issued last year, CMC was named the 17th in a list of nearly 800 community colleges for its “for successful graduation and transfer rates,” according to a statement from the college. That ranking came from the CNNMoney cable outlet, and was compiled by the College Measures research organization, which compares financial and educational values at higher education institutions across the country.

CMC also was ranked the number one school in Colorado by CNNMoney in the same survey, according to a statement from the school.

“We are very pleased to know that our efforts to provide a quality education at an affordable price have been so successful,” said Charles R. Dassance, the interim president for the school.

CMC, which began in the 1960s, bills itself as a two-year, “comprehensive community college,” that in 2011-2012 began offering four-year degrees in business education and sustainability studies.

The college district encompasses a 12,000-square-mile area, including nine counties and 11 towns.

“CMC has focused for many years on making sure that the education we provide represents the best value possible,” Dassance said in a prepared statement. “It is gratifying to be recognized nationally by both of these independent reports for having achieved that goal. We will continue to do all we can to improve our programs and services while remaining affordable.”

jcolson@postindependent.com


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