Westmoreland County Community College and IUP ink dual admissions deal

Students at Westmoreland County Community College who plan to complete a four-year degree after finishing work on an associate degree can tap a new dual admissions program with Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

An agreement the two institutions inked Wednesday outlines terms of the new program, designed to streamline the transfer process. The new partnership builds on a longstanding relationship between the two schools. Records show that since 2015, more than 330 students from WCCC have transferred to IUP to complete their academic studies.

Although many view community colleges as a low-cost option to complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree, transferring those credits to a four-year institution has often been anything but simple.

“This initiative is about student success and being student-centered. We want to eliminate potential barriers and help students from Westmoreland to feel that they are a valued member of the IUP family, even before they begin their formal coursework here,” IUP President Michael Driscoll said, announcing the program.

WCCC President Tuesday Stanley said the new program will benefit community college students planning to continue their education and build on the strong relationship between the two institutions.

To qualify, WCCC students must be currently admitted and enrolled, maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 or the minimum grade point average required by the IUP program they have chosen, have earned less than 30 credit hours before applying for the dual admissions declaration, and plan to pursue both an associate degree and bachelor’s degree.