College Profiles

Tallahassee Community College

Background

Tallahassee Community College (TCC) is a higher education steppingstone for many students in the three Florida Panhandle counties it serves.  TCC's faculty provide a strong foundation for its many graduates moving on to Florida State, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical universities, and other four-year institutions.  Nearly 40% of TCC's graduates transfer into the state university system within a year—the highest percentage in the Florida community college system.

TCC is recognized annually in Community College Week's Top 100 colleges for the number of associate degrees awarded.  In 2009, TCC ranked 16th among two-year institutions nationwide in the total number of associate degrees awarded.  Additionally, TCC was ranked 14th nationally in the number of degrees awarded to African-American students.

Achieving the Dream Interventions

New Student Orientation and Academic Advising

The college adopted mandatory orientation and advising for all students new to TCC.  This advising protocol for the mandatory program was designed in collaboration with student and academic affairs personnel who also developed the “Advising Guide for Students” which states the learning outcomes and associated tasks for students as they progress academically.

All first time in college students participate in a revised orientation program that includes an introduction to academic programs, services, and an online system for registration.  During the first term of enrollment, students are required to attend an advising workshop to reinforce the information provided during new student orientation.  At this point, they begin working on the components of the Individual Learning Plan, which every student is required to complete.  Following the advising workshop, students are prepared for their initial contact with an assigned faculty advisor.  They remain in assigned advising until they complete 50% of their program with a 2.00 GPA or better.

Results