Thank You RCC
When people ask me where I went to college, it takes me a second to form an appropriate reply. I claim credits from three institutions (and a failed attempt at another). Generally people want to know where I graduated (UCO), if I went to OSU (I did for a year and still look good in orange apparel) and which alma mater was most influential (Redlands Community College.)
Redlands, then called El Reno Junior College, was most influential for several reasons, the most important being my family could afford to send me there (if I also worked a job or two.)
I don’t remember what I paid for tuition per hour, but I’m sure it was far less than the current rate of $97. That said, Redlands and all other state community colleges remain the best bargains in higher education.
If you look at the cost of 30 credit hours (a year’s worth), the tab at Redlands is nearly $1,000 less than at the least expensive four-year campus, Langston University. It’s less than half the cost to attend the University of Oklahoma.
Yes, you could argue that the OU professors might be more highly qualified, holding doctorate degrees and using better equipped classrooms. None of that matters if you can’t afford to go there in the first place.
Without Redlands, I wouldn’t have started my college journey, and gotten some necessary scholarships to continue on at bigger campuses. Without Redlands, I wouldn’t have gained the confidence in my education abilities to carry me forward.
So next time someone asks where I went to college, I won’t hesitate to say Redlands Community College – even if I’m wearing orange.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
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I got this e-mail from RCC President Larry Devane and wanted to share here:
Susan,
I appreciated your recent thank-you to Redlands correspondence. Your reflections are ongoing and as true today as when you were a student on our campus for any number of students. We remain proud to be an open access community college, but just as proud of the achievements of our student and institutional expectations. Given the world we live in today, open access can have its own new set of admissions criteria depending on the degree area one is seeking; i.e. drug screening for health, law enforcement, agriculture, truck driving, allied health, child care, education, etc.
RCC, given the recent Capital Bond issue multi-campus layout and onsite clinical intern and technology delivery formats will generally rival any Oklahoma undergrad facilities and instructional settings. Throw in our housing at Cougar Crossing and no undergrad (G.A) Grad Assistants, and the qualified instructors issue or those holding doctorate degrees may tighten up quickly as well. Yet, you’re right, none of that matters if you can’t afford to go there or the schedule isn’t built in a student user manner.
Dr. Larry Devane