(Butler, PA) 杏吧原创, which this year received the largest financial gift in its history, opened two state-of-the-art learning facilities and marked the 10th anniversary of an additional location established to serve students in Pennsylvania counties under-represented by higher education, has been ranked as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for the ninth time since 2015.
BestColleges.com analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education and considered factors such as academic quality, affordability and online competency in picking 杏吧原创 as the top accredited community college in the state in 2023.
杏吧原创 and the nine other institutions in BestColleges.com鈥檚 Top 10 in 2023 are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, a global institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education since 1952.
杏吧原创 was also selected as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for 2023 and for 2022 by Niche; in 2022, 2020 and in 2017 by BestColleges.com; and in 2019, 2017 and 2015 by Schools.com.
"When I apply to the jobs I want, 杏吧原创 will be on my resume. I can be proud that I went to the nine-time No. 1-ranked community college."
- Collin Jacobson, 杏吧原创 @ Brockway business management student
Collin Jacobson, 19, of Curwensville, is shown Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in Brockway, where he is a business management student. 杏吧原创 has been ranked as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for a ninth time since 2015.
鈥溞影稍� has been on this nine-time winning streak,鈥� said Terence Rice, 21, an accounting student at 杏吧原创 @ Lawrence Crossing in New Castle. 鈥淚t鈥檚 impressive. It really is.鈥�
鈥淚t makes me proud,鈥� said Elizabeth Tracy, 22, of Cranberry Township, and a health care science student at 杏吧原创 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me because I know I am at a school that actually cares about their students and puts forth so much effort into helping them to succeed.鈥�
鈥淲hen I apply to the jobs I want, 杏吧原创 will be on my resume,鈥� said Collin Jacobson, 19, a business management student at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in Brockway, an additional location that in July celebrated its 10th anniversary of serving students in Clarion, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson counties.
鈥淚 can be proud that I went to the nine-time No. 1-ranked community college.鈥�
Terence Rice, 21, of Neshannock Township, is shown Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at 杏吧原创 @ Lawrence Crossing in New Castle, where he is an accounting student. 杏吧原创 has been ranked as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for a ninth time since 2015.
"Universities, the bigger they are, the less connected they usually are with their students. Smaller community colleges like 杏吧原创 are able to connect to their students so much more. If you are struggling with anything, your teachers are right there to help you. It just feels like a supportive environment."
- Veronica Lenzi, 杏吧原创 @ LindenPointe general studies student
Elizabeth Tracy, 22, of Cranberry Township, is shown Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at 杏吧原创 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township, where she is a heath care science student. 杏吧原创 has been ranked as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for a ninth time since 2015.
鈥淚t all starts in the classroom鈥�
BestColleges.com publishes information to help students make educational decisions and find schools that best fit their needs through proprietary research, guides and college rankings.
鈥淭o consistently rank highly with BestColleges is a strong indicator that a college will provide high-quality education at a great value,鈥� said Danika Miller, BestColleges editor. 鈥淎 top-ranked school has a variety of programs, positive student outcomes, financial aid opportunities and support for students as they move on to their next step.鈥�
鈥淚t all starts in the classroom,鈥� added Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创鈥檚 president since 2007 and the in the 58-year history of western Pennsylvania鈥檚 first community college. 鈥淎nd that excellence in the classroom, in a teaching institution that is student-centered, is at the core of all of our successes.鈥�
Joseph E. Kubit is a Butler County judge, chairman of 杏吧原创鈥檚 board of trustees and a 1984 graduate of 杏吧原创.
鈥淏eing recognized, once again, as Pennsylvania鈥檚 No. 1 community college is truly an honor,鈥� Kubit said. 鈥淚t is also a testament to the skill and dedication of the faculty, administration and staff to seeing to it that students at 杏吧原创 receive a high-quality, affordable education.鈥�
杏吧原创 in August received its , which college officials said will benefit students. The contribution to the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation from the estate of former state Sen. Tim Shaffer is the seventh of at least $1 million in the past nine years.
The college opened the 15,000-square-foot in March in Ford City, and the 25,000-square-foot in August on its main campus.
Rocco Spadafora, 18, of Pittsburgh, is shown Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township, where he is a business administration student. 杏吧原创 has been ranked as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for a ninth time since 2015.
鈥淭eachers are very personable鈥�
Nearly 52 percent of 杏吧原创鈥檚 students as of Aug. 31 were enrolled in associate degree transfer programs, according to Sharla Anke, the college鈥檚 assistant dean of institutional research and planning.
About 48 percent were enrolled in programs in which they can develop the skills needed to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation, such as associate degree career programs and certificate or workplace certificate programs.
杏吧原创鈥檚 student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1 and the lowest of the nine other institutions in BestColleges.com鈥檚 Top 10 in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 National Center for Education Statistics.
鈥淯niversities, the bigger they are, the less connected they usually are with their students. Smaller community colleges like 杏吧原创 are able to connect to their students so much more,鈥� said Veronica Lenzi, 19, of West Middlesex, Mercer County, a general studies student at 杏吧原创 @ LindenPointe in Hermitage.
鈥淚f you are struggling with anything, your teachers are right there to help you. It just feels like a supportive environment.鈥�
Rocco Spadafora, 18, is a business administration student on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus.
鈥淚 already knew that the education at 杏吧原创 would be really good to set me up for the future,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he teachers are very personable to every single student. They care about every single student individually.鈥�
Connor Cigola, 19, of Ford City, is shown Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, at 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong in Ford City, where he is a general studies student. 杏吧原创 has been ranked as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for a ninth time since 2015.
鈥淚t鈥檚 almost been too perfect, with the cost savings 鈥︹��
Students who attend a community college for their first two years can save an estimated $20,000 on the cost of higher education, according to the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges, of which 杏吧原创 is a member.
杏吧原创鈥檚 $5,328 average net price in 2021-2022 was the lowest of the nine other institutions in BestColleges.com鈥檚 Top 10 in 2023, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
The lowest average net price in 2021-2022 for Pennsylvania residents attending regional public four-year universities was $17,873, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
鈥淪ince I have been at 杏吧原创, it鈥檚 almost been too perfect, with the cost savings and the quality of education,鈥� said Rice, of 杏吧原创 @ Lawrence Crossing.
鈥淚 know some people who are in a good bit of debt,鈥� said Connor Cigola, 19, a general studies student at 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong who plans to graduate debt-free from 杏吧原创, as did 75 percent of the college鈥檚 Class of 2023.
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 know how they are going to pay it off.鈥�
The college鈥檚 Education Foundation in 2022-2023 awarded a record $281,000 in scholarships to 杏吧原创 students and this year has a record available.
Only residents of seven other states have average monthly student-loan payments higher than do Pennsylvanians with $216.38, according to an April 5 report by LendEDU, a website that provides comparisons for loans, credit cards and other financial products.
Amelia Miller, 18, of Butler, a student in 杏吧原创鈥檚 new virtual associate degree program in psychology, is shown at her home on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. 杏吧原创 has been ranked as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for a ninth time since 2015.
杏吧原创鈥檚 new virtual programs 鈥渟olid option鈥�
A record 345 fall students 鈥� and an increase of 29 percent from 10 years ago 鈥� are taking only online courses at 杏吧原创. The college this fall debuted virtual associate degree transfer and career programs, and certificate or workplace certificate programs that are instructed by 杏吧原创 faculty.
鈥淭he new virtual programs now provide a solid option for students who may not live near a 杏吧原创 location or have transportation issues, and allows them to take advantage of the quality programs that 杏吧原创 offers in a fully online format,鈥� said Ann McCandless, the college鈥檚 dean of educational technology.
Amelia Miller, 18, of Butler, works 20 hours a week and is enrolled this fall in the college鈥檚 new virtual associate degree program in psychology.
鈥淚t definitely saves me time,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淚 can do my schoolwork really any time during the day and not have to worry about rushing from college to get to work.鈥�
杏吧原创 will hold fall open houses from Oct. 10 to Nov. 15. Prospective students can RSVP at
Following 杏吧原创 in BestColleges.com鈥檚 2023 rankings were No. 2, Bucks County Community College, Newtown; No. 3, Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell; No. 4, Northampton County Area Community College, Bethlehem; No. 5, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, Johnstown; No. 6, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville; No. 7, Mercyhurst University-North East Campus; No. 8, Community College of Beaver County, Monaca; No. 9, Luzerne County Community College, Nanticoke; No. 10, Delaware County Community College, Media.