HACC Statement in Response to WalletHub Ratings

The recent ranking of community colleges published by WalletHub contains a flawed methodology and does not reflect the quality, affordability and accessibility that HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, provides to more than 19,000 students in the region.
 
Many of the “top-ranked” colleges in the WalletHub list are reported as providing incomplete information but still received high rankings. For example, 37 schools are listed as missing a “career outcomes” rank, and 16 of them are ranked in the top 100 schools. Nearly 3 percent of the schools in spots 101 to 821 are listed as missing career outcome information.  
 
HACC’s mission is to be the first choice for a quality and accessible higher education opportunity. In 2017-18, HACC reduced its tuition by 1 percent. Nearly 70 percent of students receive financial aid. More than 800 students received more than $850,000 in scholarships in 2016-17. High school students who are dual-enrolled pay approximately half in tuition and fees. In addition, military personnel and veterans pay in-state tuition rates no matter where they are in the world.
 
HACC graduates receive a strong academic background and benefit from the College’s highly transferable courses. Graduates of HACC’s health career programs, for example, have outstanding completion rates, score high in national board exam pass rates and are in demand in the job market.
 
Over the past three years alone, graduates of HACC’s health career programs:

• Scored 100 percent on national board exams in six programs and 92.56 percent or higher in an additional six programs
• Had a 100-percent job placement rate in seven programs, with placement rates of 83 percent or higher in three additional programs 

HACC graduates attend top-ranked universities such as Cornell University and Bucknell University. Our Bucknell Scholar Program provides eligible HACC students the opportunity to attend Bucknell University tuition free.
 
HACC was one of the first six educational institutions to provide full iTunes U courses along with Duke University, MIT, Open University, Stanford University and Yale University.
 
The Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools accredits HACC courses. They are the standard accrediting organization for community and four-year colleges. HACC students can seamlessly transfer their credits to more than 60 higher education institutions.
 
More than 6,000 students also participate in our noncredit programs to enter the workforce quickly, build job skills or change careers. Leading employers in the region – such as Ames Reese, Hershey Foods and M&M Mars – partner with HACC to provide their employees with job skills.
 
HACC has more than 95,000 alumni – many of them business and community leaders in Central Pennsylvania. They are living and breathing examples of the exemplary and economical education that Central Pennsylvanians have received from HACC since 1964.
 
HACC stands on its commitment to serve its students and community with excellence. Visit www.hacc.edu to read stories from successful students and alumni and learn more about our programs.