College Profiles

Tacoma Community College

Background

 

Tacoma Community College, located in Tacoma, Washington, provides a comprehensive mix of educational programs and resources for the 731,000 residents of Pierce County. Some 16,000 students enroll at the college annually. Fifty-three percent of the college’s state-supported students indicate that they intend to transfer to baccalaureate institutions; 37 percent seek workforce training; and 7 percent are enrolled in basic skills courses. 

 

The college recognizes the need to increase the academic success of all TCC students.  Data collected during the first year of Achieving the Dream indicated that 75 percent of first-time, entering, degree-seeking students re-enroll for a second term after their first quarter, only 45 percent enroll at TCC the following year, and only 22 percent complete a degree or certificate within three years.

 

 

Achieving the Dream Goals

 

TCC has three major goals for Achieving the Dream Years 2–5:

• To improve the success of students enrolled in developmental math, English, and reading courses;
• To increase student engagement during the first year of college; and
• To improve the college’s data-driven decision-making capability.

The college plans to implement learning strategies that will increase the rate of successful course completion at the developmental level and close the gap in degree and certificate completion between students who begin their studies at college level and those who start one or more levels below college level. The college also aims to increase the rate of first-year coursework completion by students who enroll in their first-year orientation course and to increase the persistence of first-time college students. 

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