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What You Need To Know

Washington state community and technical colleges are a smart choice for your son or daughter. Our colleges are focused on student success. Students benefit from small class sizes, outstanding instructors, state-of-the-art facilities and the lowest tuition in Washington state public higher education.
Our colleges are committed to diversity. We believe every student deserves the opportunity learn and live in a positive and safe environment.
More than half of all public-college students in Washington state are enrolled in community and technical colleges.

Top Questions

Our colleges offer the best educational value around. Tuition costs are about one-half to one-third the cost of tuition at a four-year university.

According to federal law, college students have the right to the privacy of all their education records including grades, financial information and disciplinary records. Under this law, parents who want to gain access to a student's records can do so if the student signs a Release of Information form. The law is called the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA.

Unless a student makes arrangements otherwise, colleges do not contact parents about their children's progress at college. Students are responsible for communicating with their parents.

Absolutely. Our colleges offer a wide array of student clubs and activities. There are also organizations and clubs for students pursuing specific majors. Joining these groups can lead to great friendships and a positive college experience. 

Yes, our college classes are academically challenging. Our "open enrollment" policy simply means that everyone has a chance to enroll. We offer classes for people at every educational level — from students who need a boost to get into college-level classes, to those who are ready to jump right in.