Inver Hills Ranked #7 Nationally by Washington Monthly

Best Colleges for Adult Learners: 2-Year Colleges

Washington Monthly, a bimonthly nonprofit magazine covering U.S. politics and government, ranked Inver Hills Community College #7 on its 2016 College Guide and Rankings: Best Colleges for Adult Learners—2-Year Colleges. Based in Washington, D.C., Washington Monthly is respected nationwide for its annual ranking of American colleges and universities.
Inver Hills is mentioned in the Washington Monthly article, “America’s Best Colleges for Adult Learners” by Paul Glastris. The article reports that adult learners routinely have difficulty finding a higher education institution with programs and courses that can accommodate their complex schedules and responsibilities.
Glastris: “The failure of so many colleges and universities to meet the needs of adult learners hurts us all. It diminishes upward mobility, robs the economy of needed skills, and slows our efforts to catch up with other countries in the percentage of our population with post-secondary credentials.”
Inver Hills is a solid exception, earning national recognition for the college’s straightforward transfer pathways and flexible degree and certificate options. Adult learners find a home at Inver through a number of avenues, including Adult Success through Accelerated Programs (ASAP) and the South of the River Education Center.

Excerpt from Washington Monthly article:

“Nearly half of all college students are twenty-five or older. Yet no publication has ranked the top schools for them. Until now.”

“Community colleges seldom enjoy national reputations. One that does, Miami Dade College in Florida, the second-largest institution of higher education in the country, comes in at number seventy-nine on our ranking of the 100 best two-year schools. Mostly, though, the colleges on our two-year list are largely unknown outside their communities but warrant national recognition for delivering big-time for adult learners. Inver Hills Community College in Minnesota (number seven) garnered the highest scores possible on our ease of transfer and flexibility measures. And students at number one–ranked Weber State University in Utah, which grants mostly two-year degrees, earn an impressive $50,867 on average ten years after enrolling in college—the sixth-highest income among the 1,171 community colleges we looked at.”

Adult Success through Accelerated Programs (ASAP)

ASAP gives you the opportunity to earn a college degree at an accelerated, flexible and independent pace while getting college credit for the knowledge and skills you’ve gained through your work and life experiences. ASAP uses Prior Learning Assessments and other tools to match your know-how with college courses, saving you money as well as time in the classroom.
As an ASAP student, you can complete two classes each semester while balancing just one at a time. Our accelerated, 8-week courses meet one night a week at the following convenient locations:

• South of the River Education Center in Burnsville, Minnesota
• Inver Grove Heights campus (Saturdays)

To learn more about ASAP, contact:

ASAP Program
651-450-3367
College Center Room 270

South of the River Education Center

Accelerated, flexible and transferable courses: All in the heart of the south metro.

South of the River Education Center is a new campus location in the heart of the south metro partnering Inver Hills Community College, the Minnesota Workforce Center, Dakota County Technical College and Metropolitan State University to provide a more convenient and flexible way for adults to earn a degree.
Whether you’re a busy adult considering going back to school, a career changer looking for workforce training or just live/work in the area, we’ll get you started in the right direction.
South of the River Education Center offers classes through Inver Hills, DCTC and Metro State that are convenient, flexible and accessible.

• Most courses are accelerated, meeting once per week for only eight weeks.
• Courses typically meet on weekday evenings.
• You can seamlessly transfer your credits to other institutions.

This means a shorter commute for those living in the Burnsville area or nearby Scott County, giving you an ideal way to earn your college degree or certificate.

To learn more about the South of the River Education Center, contact:

Stephanie Atkinson
Education Center Coordinator
952-703-3128