La Roche College Helps Students Get the Most Out of Their College Experience

By Vanessa Orr

In today’s economy, finding the money for college can be difficult. But before deciding on an education based on price alone, college-bound students should take the time to learn about options that cannot only help them choose the most affordable education, but also the one best suited to their needs.

“Value and economy are important right now, but so is getting a well-rounded education,” explained David McFarland, director of Admissions at La Roche College. “There are a lot of factors that should go into making a college choice, including its academic programs, financial options and what activities are available outside the classroom.

“Sometimes people think that private colleges are out of reach because they appear to be more expensive,” he added. “But private schools also have a lot of latitude to give assistance for academic or merit reasons and may offer financial assistance.”

At La Roche College, for example, there are numerous options designed to help high school students earn college credits at a reduced rate, including the Scholar Program and SCIP (Scholar Credit Initiative Program). “High school students can earn up to 15 credits taking college courses while still in high school,” explained McFarland. “And they get a cost break because they are only paying $130 for a three-credit course instead of $525 per credit hour.” Through the Scholar Program, students take these courses right at their own high schools, taught by teachers certified as adjunct professors at La Roche.

In addition to helping high school students save money, these programs also help them acclimate to the college environment ahead of actual enrollment. Even if a student does not choose to attend La Roche College, credits earned through the Scholar and SCIP programs are accepted at many other institutions, including Edinboro University, the American University of Paris, Carnegie Mellon University and Elon University.

Students already attending community colleges can also benefit from a new program at La Roche called the Bridge to Your Bachelor’s Program. Students who have completed 60 or more credits at specific community colleges and who enroll for summer and fall semesters at La Roche can take up to 15 credits during the summer at only $90 per credit hour.

“We began this program last year to help students who wanted to transfer from a community college setting to a four-year college,” explained Hope Schiffgens, director of Graduate Studies & Adult Education at La Roche. “By offering first semester courses at the same cost as community college courses, we help students ease into college financially.”

According to Tom Schaefer, Ph.D., associate vice president for Academic Affairs, there are many other factors that can affect a choice of college including its surroundings, the living arrangements, student diversity, class size and technology. “Students need to ask themselves if they’ll not only get a good education, but also get a good job when they leave,” he said. “It’s okay to ask about success rates.”

It’s also acceptable to ask about the types of extracurricular activities available, as students don’t spend all of their time studying. “Statistics show that 75 percent of a student’s time is spent outside the classroom, so they need things to do,” said Colleen Ruefle, vice president for Student Life, adding that students at La Roche can participate in numerous athletic activities, work on the school newspaper, join Student Government or become a member of a club. “Our Student Development Office will even create a new club if there are enough students interested in a specific subject.”

Students who want to learn off campus—even way off campus—can also choose to participate in Beyond the Classroom: Study Abroad-Study USA program. “This program is different from what a lot of colleges offer, in that the cost of a study abroad experience is included in tuition,” Schaefer explained. “Generally, by the end of a student’s sophomore year, he or she will be eligible to take a two- to three-week travel experience in another country or in another part of the United States.”

Through this program, students can choose to take part in a wide variety of learning experiences, such as living with the nomadic Tuareg tribe in Africa; studying Asian cultures in China; researching the roots of jazz in Harlem; working on an American Indian reservation; traveling to New Orleans to help the Katrina rebuilding effort; or traveling to Europe or South America.

For nontraditional students looking to broaden their horizons, La Roche is currently looking at adding a number of master’s degree programs, including a master’s program in accounting. The college also offers certificate programs in nursing, special education and human resource management. “This is a good way for students who have been out of school for a while to earn a certificate in a specialty area,” Schiffgens said. “If they choose, they can then apply those credits toward a master’s degree where it’s offered.”

La Roche offers classes at a number of locations, including the McCandless campus, Cranberry campus, Lawrence County Learning Center and Lawrence Crossings. For more information, undergraduates should contact La Roche at 412-536-1270. Graduate students should call 412-536-1262. Information can also be found at www.laroche.edu.