Front Range Community College (FRCC) has been listed as one of the best online community colleges in the U.S.—listed ninth nationally out of more than 1,000 colleges in a new ranking from College Consensus.
“Online classes and programs are critical during this time of social distancing—to allow students to continue their education remotely,” said FRCC President Andy Dorsey. “FRCC offers engaging courses taught by outstanding faculty who are committed to online learning.”
FRCC offers 46 degrees and certificates students can complete entirely online. The college supports students with online advisors, online orientations, tutors, library resources—and an online student union. (During normal times, online students also have full access to support services on campus.)
Editors at College Consensus started by researching more than 1,000 American community or technical colleges. In order to identify the Best Online Community Colleges, they focused exclusively on regionally accredited, reputable institutions in this category. They examined the number of available online degrees at each school, then added three further factors to rank the schools:
- web presence
- transparency about their offerings
- user-friendliness of the learning platforms
“These three factors help students and their families determine whether the community college they are considering will have a real, qualitative impact on their careers and lives,” according to this news release from College Consensus.
Due to physical distancing requirements related to COVID-19, FRCC is offering most of its summer classes online, instead of on campus. But online learning is not new to the college. FRCC’s distance learning program has been accredited since 1998—offering students the option to attend full or part time. Online classes also give students the chance to participate at times that work best for them.
“Our online programs have been popular for years because they allow students flexibility in their education,” added Dorsey. “Many of our students need to keep working—and earning—while in school. And they still get to interact with many other students and teachers who live in the same communities, as well as students who join FRCC online courses from outside of Colorado.”