If you have not completed high school but are ready to begin your university studies in the United States, then Tacoma is for you.
Get started on your university career with admission to Tacoma Community College.
If you are a student aged 16 and over who has not yet completed high school, you are eligible to apply for admission to TCC and begin a college course ahead of your peers.
Tacoma has had an excellent response to the coronavirus pandemic and remains a safe opportunity for you to get a head start on your undergraduate degree.
To find out more about fast-tracking your high school career and starting university early, please fill in the form below.
COVID-19 Response
At the forefront of all the decisions Tacoma makes is student safety. With regards to the current pandemic, Tacoma Community College’s response has been exemplary and students are able to continue earning their education remotely.
Until cases diminish significantly or disappear altogether, they will continue to offer mostly online education with some hybrid offerings. Students can complete their coursework in their own time, regardless of where they are in the world thanks to Tacoma’s asynchronous instruction methods
For those students who are studying the English language, classes will retain some live instruction. In order to make this most effective for everyone, all student time zones are taken into consideration before a class time is set.
There is no reason, then, to refrain from starting your university education early. In fact, now might be the best time of all to do so.
Why Complete High School Early?
The decision to complete high school while starting college courses early is an important one, though there are many distinct benefits.
The most obvious is early admission into university, which if you are a capable enough student, or guardian of one, can prove immensely beneficial in the long-term. Early admission with Tacoma Community College’s High School Completion program allows for an jump start on your degree program, two years of work experience by age 22 (that’s Optional Practical Training at the Associate and Bachelor Degree level), and will save you two years of private high school tuition. Indeed, TCC’s affordable tuition is often cheaper than private high schools abroad.
Tacoma Community College’s graduates
For international students, starting at a community college is also easier language-wise, as no TOEFL, IELTS or SAT/ACT tests are required to apply to Tacoma, and the time that would have been spent completing high school can be filled with sufficient time for language and cultural adjustment.
Tacoma doesn’t require a TOEFL as it has a robust English for Academic Purposes program that prepares students for the rigor of a U.S. university classroom.
Tacoma Community College welcomes students to campus four different times per year. You can match your starting term with your 16th birthday to make the most of your time and resources.
Completing High School in the United States
Tacoma Community College offers a program for international high school students who wish to get ahead, called High School Completion.
How does it work?
Students select a major area of study, just as you would at a university, and complete the two-year required coursework towards an Associate degree. Upon completion of the Associate degree, you will be awarded a High School Diploma in addition to a two-year degree.
High School Completion is the early admission program solely for international students who are 16+ and ready to enroll in college-level coursework to fast-track their degree. Approximately one third of Tacoma’s degree-seeking international students join this program, which is currently around 60 students.
Emotional Support and Care
Frequently, a student may be academically prepared for college, but may find the social or emotional demands overwhelming. The most successful college students are highly motivated, take the initiative, have good study skills and are disciplined.
“TCC has a strong record of assisting high school age students. The college has been admitting international students as young as 16 for well over 10 years now. The entire international programs team, as well as college staff and faculty are highly experienced and dedicated to assisting these younger students.”
James Newman, Executive Director of International Programs at Tacoma Community College, is assured that he and his team have the right experience to support any student that comes to TCC.
TCC’s campus
“Everyone on the team has experience living and/or studying abroad. Some have been international students in the US themselves. This experience enables us to provide exceptional care and service to our students as we truly have been in their shoes and know what they are going through.”
Mr Newman has not only seen a lot of international students visit TCC, he has also seen them work hard and succeed in their careers too.
“Being at the college for over 10 years now I have seen some amazing success stories with our international students. It is incredibly rewarding to see the transformation that takes place from the time they arrive as a 16 or 17-year-old, and then watching them grow, develop and go on to have amazing careers. We’ve had students get accepted to Yale, Columbia, Brown, NYU, University of Washington and many other exceptional institutions. We’ve had students go on to work for the UN, Facebook, Amazon, Starbucks, Goldman Sachs, and others fortune 500 companies. TCC provides a very strong foundation to help prepare students for the next step in their academic career”
To find out more about starting university early, please fill in the form below.
By replying, you will also receive a copy of Tacoma Community College’s International Viewbook!
