Gogebic Community College is ranked #4 of the Best Online Community Colleges in Michigan according to the Guide for Online Schools website. With the future of higher education and the economy more uncertain than ever, many students are rethinking the traditional model of a brick-and-mortar education and considering the benefits and safety of online degrees.

To assist students in finding the best option for their individual needs during this time, Optimal (formerly SR Education Group) recently released the 2020 Best Online Community College Rankings on Guide to Online Schools. The rankings include a nationwide best overall community college ranking, as well as 41 individual state rankings.

Online community colleges are an affordable choice for students who want to begin their education at home and bypass the unpredictability of what the fall semester may bring.

The method for the rankings includes retention rate, graduation rate, and the variety of programs available. Additionally, the rankings weigh the percent of students enrolled in online degrees specifically, as an indicator of the success of the college’s distance education program. This information was collected by the National Center of Education Statistics. Optimal researched 550 community colleges, and gave each a score based on these factors. Only schools that scored 70% or higher were included in the rankings. To be considered for a ranking list, community colleges must be regionally accredited and offer at least one fully online associate degree. GCC currently offers seven programs that are completely online: General Education, Business Administration, General Business, Entrepreneurship, Accounting, Computer Programming and Medical Coding and Billing.

Gogebic Community College has announced plans to open campus for classes for this Fall which begins on Monday, Aug. 24. “At this time, we are making plans to open our campus in Ironwood, as well as in the Copper Country, to serve students in the classroom while following all state and federal guidelines,” said Dr. George McNulty, GCC President. “Students will have the opportunity to choose the course delivery method that best suits their needs including in person instruction, on-line and using Zoom technology,” said David Darrow, Vice President of Academic Services. “It is our goal to assist students to continue their education in the setting they are most comfortable with.” The fall course schedule can be viewed on their website: https://gogebic.edu/Academics/courseschedules.html.

“The entire education system is in an unprecedented time of upheaval and the economy is in rapid decline. Students are scared and are looking for options. Optimal wants to help these students by providing quality, affordable degree options that can be completed entirely online, allowing people to stay safe and close to family,” said CEO Sung Rhee. “We understand that many people are facing hardship right now and cannot pay top-dollar for an education. We hope that our resources provide a path forward during this trying time.”

The overall average price of an online degree at a community college based on the ranking list is approximately $4,000 annually.

For more information about how to enroll at GCC for the upcoming Fall semester or to learn more about the courses and programs offered online or in person, contact the admissions office at (906) 307-1207 or email: admissions@gogebic.edu. All classes begin on Aug 24.