Academic Support
Montgomery College offers academic skills workshops, counseling and advising, tutoring, and other programs to help students improve skills in studying, test-taking, overcoming math anxiety, and time management, to name a few. Services are available in a variety of learning centers at each campus.
Adult Learners
Montgomery College Adult Learner programs provide a variety of resources for the College’s ever-growing adult student population. Our adult student services connect students with people and offices that provide services and programs for this unique population. The programs cater to all adult students-individuals entering Montgomery College who have never attended college, and adult students now returning to college. Each of the three campuses offers individualized academic advising and counseling services targeted to adult students interested in taking courses for college credit. In addition, each campus has a financial aid office and tutoring centers and offers adult-focused academic, social, and informational workshops and programs. For more information please visit: www.montgomerycollege.edu/adult-learners/index.html.
For information regarding a specific campus, please contact us at 240-567-1614.
Montgomery College’s Workforce Development & Continuing Education office also offers noncredit courses (including Adult ESOL and Literacy-GED) as well as college credit courses and business training in convenient community locations. More information can be obtained by calling 240-567-5188.
Assessment
Students must demonstrate their skills in English, reading, and mathematics upon admission to the College so they may be placed in courses matching their academic skill levels. Students may be exempt from assessment if they can provide documentation that they have completed appropriate college coursework or have sufficiently high scores on standardized test instruments such as the SAT, ACT, or TOEFL. If such documentation is not available, students must take the college placement examination. The centers also provide testing services for students who need to take make-up examinations, those enrolled in Distance Education courses, and students with disabilities who need special accommodations.
Locations and Contact Information:
Germantown: Student Affairs and Science Building, Room 132; 240-567-7739
Rockville: Campus Center, Room 014; 240-567-7459
Takoma Park/Silver Spring: Student Services Center, Room 323B; 240-567-1555
Athletics
Montgomery College Athletics offers intramural sports and 9 intercollegiate varsity teams as a Division I (Men and Women’s Soccer and Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field) and Division II (Baseball, Men and Women’s Basketball, Softball, Women’s Volleyball) member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), Region XX, and the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference (MDJUCO). Many student athletes transfer to 4 year institutions to further their academic and athletic endeavors. For further information, please contact The Athletics Department at 240-567-7593 or visit our website at www.mcraptors.com.
Bookstores
The Follett Higher Education Group operates Montgomery College Campus Stores on all three campuses. New and used textbooks, rentals, eBooks, and additional classroom materials are available in the stores. Our website also features online sales of course materials that are available for delivery to your home or for pick-up at your campus store. Please visit the MC Campus Stores website for hours of operation.
Each store offers reference books, study guides, and best-sellers. Books still in print may be special ordered. Other merchandise is available, such as art materials, school supplies, medical and laboratory supplies, and calculators. Textbook buyback may be done in the stores at the end of each semester.
Montgomery College clothing and memorabilia, gifts, health & beauty items, technology and Apple products, and snacks are available in all stores. Gift cards, and order information on class rings and nursing pins are also available.
Students may visit the Montgomery College Campus Stores website to research all services available, to view course material and textbook selections, and to place orders online. For more information, to access these services, or to contact the Campus Stores staff at http://www.shopmontgomerycollege.com.
Career Coach
Career Coach is a valuable online search tool that will give you the opportunity to explore hundreds of potential careers or job possibilities in Maryland and the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Career Coach provides you with a brief employment analysis of the selected job, including how many are employed in the geographical area, the estimated number of annual job openings in this career, and breakdown of worker demographics by age. The job listings and information provided are specific to Montgomery County and the surrounding localities. You won’t find it anywhere else in the region. We offer it as a service to our students, future students, and members of our community. Visit the website https://montgomerycollege.emsicc.com/ and learn more.
Center for Early Education
The Center for Early Education (CEE) creates educational, active based learning experiences for children 2-5 years of age. Our nationally accredited program cultivates academic readiness and social/emotional development within a nurturing, respectful environment that meets the needs of our community. Students, faculty/staff and community may register for the program depending on space availability. A limited number of student tuition scholarships are available. The center is open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The CEE serves as a teacher training site as well as a research opportunity for faculty and students learning about child development.
Counseling and Advising
Academic advising is viewed as a collaborative process and is designed to assist students in establishing goals, minimizing barriers, and encouraging self-sufficiency now and into the future. With this in mind, students will not get “prescribed” answers, but will be encouraged to design and adapt plans which reflect their emerging interests, knowledge and goals. Students will be encouraged to make informed academic decisions and consider potential consequences of their decisions.
Counselors help students in making educational, transfer, and career decisions and in planning for and progressing toward their individual goals. They assist students in planning to complete certificates or degrees from the College and in preparing to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Counselors also listen to students’ concerns and can connect them with community services, if necessary, or assist them in crisis and other critical situations.
Program advisors assist students in identifying useful elective courses for any declared majors, make referrals to academic support services, recommend out-of-class activities and experiences to enhance learning or career development, and educate students about academic honor or professional associations. Program advisors also assist students in pre-registering for academic courses in their major.
Students are encouraged to seek counseling and advising services throughout the academic year, instead of only during registration periods. Students who see the same counselor and/or advisor during their enrollment at the College benefit by setting clear academic goals that are reviewed periodically.
Locations and Contact Information:
Germantown: Student Affairs and Science Building, Room 250; 240-567-7770
Rockville: Mannakee Building (MK), Room 220; 240-567-5058
Takoma Park/Silver Spring: Student Services Center, Room 233; 240-567-1480
General hours of operation are posted to the Counseling department Web site at www.montgomerycollege.edu/counseling. Specific hours, scheduling options and instructions may be viewed from the Counseling and Advising page at www.montgomerycollege.edu/counseling.
Student Success (STSU) Courses
Counselors teach courses that ease the transition to college and provide tools for developing academic and life skills.
Student Success courses are designed to meet the diverse academic needs and interests of students. Courses to help with the transition to college include First Year Seminar (STSU 100 ) and Seminar for International Students (STSU 101 ). These two courses in particular are an important component of the First Year Experience activities, and all first-time college students are strongly encouraged to take one of these courses. Courses in Study Habits Development (STSU 110 ) and Building Math Confidence (STSU 112 ) focus on building skills and Memory Development (STSU 114 ) teaches students how to learn and practice steps to develop a healthy memory. Career Development: Dynamics and Application (STSU 120 ) covers how to choose, plan, establish, or change career fields. Principles of Academic Success (STSU 122 ) helps students who have a history of academic and personal issues develop behavioral strategies to improve overall success. Introduction to Student Leadership (STSU 200 ) is an experiential course that provides an overview of leadership fundamentals and theory with an emphasis on peer leadership. Happiness and Wellbeing (STSU 124 ) will offer students practical and researched strategies and activites for tapping into and nurturing their own happiness and wellbeing. Mindfulness and Resilience in College (STSU 102 ) introduces students to evidence-based mindfulness practices and activities that when applied to dimensions of life and study tasks, improves academic success and builds resiliency.
Disability Support Services
In accordance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the College provides accommodations, access to facilities, programs, activities, and services for qualified students with documented disabilities. Disability Support Services (DSS) works with students with disabilities such as learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, mental health disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, brain injuries, physical/mobility and medical disabilities, and vision and hearing impairments. DSS utilizes an interactive process in determining accommodations for each student.
DSS counselors advise students and provide academic, career, and short-term personal counseling. They determine and facilitate appropriate academic and technological accommodations, act as liaisons with College resources and external agencies and consultants, and provide referral services for students with disabilities. DSS faculty and staff assist in arranging support services within the framework of student self-determination and self-advocacy.
Eligibility and Services
Students must self-identify and are encouraged to contact DSS as soon as possible after admission to the College. DSS counselors determine eligibility for services and meet with students to identify academic adjustments and/or accommodations. Accommodations are determined on a case-by- case basis and may include extended time on tests, note-taking assistance, sign language interpreting services, and alternative formats for printed materials. Each campus offers assistive technology, including computers with disability-specific software and hardware, voice recognition and synthesizers, print magnifiers and scanners, large print, and Braille, as well as individual tutorial support.
Arranging for Services
New students complete an on-line intake form, submit documentation of a disability, and meet with a designated DSS counselor for an initial intake to determine accommodations and services. New and returning students requesting support services and/or accommodations need to submit a Request for Services Form to a DSS counselor at the campus they plan to attend at least two weeks before the beginning of each semester in order to ensure timely services. Accommodations may be requested at any time, but are not retroactive. Students are encouraged to maintain regular contact with their DSS counselor for guidance and assistance.
Campus locations and contact information is as follows:
Germantown: Student Affairs and Science, Suite 250; 240-567-7770
Rockville: Mannakee Building, Suite 210; 240-567-5058
Takoma Park/Silver Spring: Student Services Center, Suite 233; 240-567-1480
Workforce Development and Continuing Education: Campus Center (Rockville Campus), Suite 204; 240-567-4118
For more information on the application steps and DSS services visit: www.montgomerycollege.edu/counseling-and-advising/disability-support-services.html.
First Year Experience
The first year of college is an exciting and challenging time where you will experience academic and personal growth. The mission of the College’s First Year Experience Program (FYE) is to connect first year students to Montgomery College by Educating students on services and resources, Empowering students to make their move toward their goals using informed decision making, Engaging students in Montgomery College and the community, Embracing students by meeting them where they are, Exciting students through the experience we provide in their first year, Enriching students’ lives by providing, promoting and supporting learning opportunities that will help them grow personally, professionally and academically and Exploring opportunities so students can discover who they want to be and plans they can make to realize their dreams.
The College’s First Year Experience (FYE) program includes the Academic Orientation Montgomery Advising Program (MAP) or International Montgomery Advising Program (IMAP) (interpreted by the Counseling and Advising Department), New Student Orientation, workshops and events though the academic year and the centerpiece of the FYE program: The First Year Seminar.
The First Year Seminar - STSU 100 or STSU 101 for International Students will help new students learn the expectations for a college student and the skills to enhance their potential for success, time management, successful studying, and the development of an individualized education plan. They will learn about the higher education system, the purpose of general education, personal development, and career planning. This course should be taken either the summer before or during a student’s first semester of attendance.
For more information, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/fye.
Food Services
CaféMC locations and vending machines on each campus offer a variety of food, snacks, and beverages. In addition, the Takoma Park snack shop is located on the second floor of the Student Services Center, inside the Campus Store. For more information on CaféMC operating hours and menu offerings, visit the website www.montgomerycollege.edu/food. For Campus Store snack shop offerings and hours, please contact the Takoma Park Bookstore at (240) 567-1522. For vending machine locations, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/vending.
Housing
Students are responsible for their own living accommodations. The College does not approve or maintain housing facilities.
International and Multicultural Students
Counselors on each campus advise international and multicultural students from diverse cultures, including a wide range of ethnic, geographic, and language backgrounds. Students whose first language is not English can obtain specialized counseling and academic advising throughout the year. Orientation and special activities programming are offered.
For more information, please visit the Counseling and Advising department at any campus.
Library
The Montgomery College Library provides quality resources and services to support the programs of the College and to meet the learning and information needs of students, faculty, staff, and community members. Library employees are available to assist users with research, technology, and access to the library’s resources. Librarians can help users find articles, media, or books for assignments, answer questions about citations, and help users evaluate information. This support is available in person, over the phone, and via the 24/7 librarian chat service, available on the library’s website. Users can also get help with research in various subject areas and preparing for courses and assignments with the library’s online subject guides, course pages, and tutorials, all available on the website. All library locations offer a variety of study environments to fit diverse learning styles, including collaboration spaces, quiet zones, and private group study rooms.
The library maintains numerous computer workstations for College and community users. In addition, the library offers laptops and tablets for students to check out and use in the library. Students and employees may use the library’s high-speed scanners, One Button Studios for easy video creation, and Collaborative Workstations for connecting multiple devices to a single screen. Student use of these services takes priority. Assistive technologies are available for users with special needs.
The library offers textbooks and other course materials required for many MC courses through the course reserves program. Students can inquire about their textbooks at the service desk. Course reserves materials may be checked out for two hours at a time and used in the library buildings. High-speed scanners are available for students to scan their assignments and go.
The library provides 24/7 access to hundreds of thousands of e-books, e-journals, and streaming media covering all subject areas and over 170 academic databases to assist with coursework, many containing full-text articles. In addition, with over 200,000 volumes held, the MC Library’s print collections cover all disciplines. The MC Library maintains a select collection of historical materials and memorabilia related to the history of the College. Any request for information about these materials may be directed to Beth Thoms, collection development librarian, at beth.thoms@montgomerycollege.edu. Finally, the library offers best-selling books, streaming popular films, and a variety of newspapers and magazines, both in print and online, for users to enjoy.
Most resources, including books, e-books, articles, and media, can be accessed through the library’s search engine, RaptorSearch, and library’s website. Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service is available to provide resources the library does not own by borrowing them from other libraries. Users can make ILL requests using the form on our website. The library also offers an Inter-Campus Loan (ICL) service to deliver resources from one campus library to another, which is accessed through the MC Library Catalog, also on the website.
Those with a valid student identification card or a community borrower’s card may check out circulating materials for use outside of the library. Students registered for the current semester may use the library’s electronic resources, including e-books, e-journals, and electronic course reserves, from outside the library via the library’s website. Audio or video materials may be viewed online or at any library location and most are available to faculty for classroom instruction.
For more information, please visit the Montgomery College Library website at www.montgomerycollege.edu/library, use our librarian chat service for 24/7 research help at https://libfaqs.montgomerycollege.edu/, or call one of the campus locations:
Germantown, Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Suite 110; 240-567-7858
Rockville, Macklin Tower, Suite 110; 240-567-7117
Takoma Park/Silver Spring, Resource Center, Suite 215; 240-567-1540
Military and Veteran Services
Montgomery College is a military- and veteran- friendly institution, recognizing and supporting the contributions that our students make outside the classroom as active duty service members, guardsmen, reservists, veterans, and dependents. To that end, the College assists the military community in reaching their educational goals by providing:
- Flexible withdrawal procedures in the event of activation, deployment, or enlistment,
- Waived residency requirements for active duty service members and dependents,
- Veterans Benefits processing,
- Tuition Assistance processing,
- Tuition Waivers for Maryland National Guardsmen,
- DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signatory, and
- Support services available through the Combat2College program (see below).
Combat2College
Combat2College is a nationally recognized program that offers opportunities and services to veterans and service members attending Montgomery College. Some of the program features include:
- Academic opportunities and advising,
- Financial Opportunities
- Wellness activities,
- Social opportunities,
- Space for gathering, and
- Referral and coordination with external agencies/resources
For more information, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/combat2college.
Veterans Affairs Office
The Veterans Affairs Office (VAO) was established to assist all students applying for Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) educational benefits. To contact the office, e-mail va@montgomerycollege.edu. Students eligible to receive benefits must submit a Certification Request for VA Benefits form, available at www.montgomerycollege.edu/admissions/StudentForms/StudentForms.htm to the Office of Enrollment Services or to va@montgomerycollege.edu each semester after completing registration to have their enrollment certifications submitted to the DVA. Students receiving benefits must contact va@montgomerycollege.edu regarding any changes in enrollment. For more information, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/admissions/veb.
Parking and Motor Vehicle Registration
Each person associated with the College who parks a vehicle on any campus of the College or any property owned, leased, maintained, or operated by the College must register the vehicle regardless of its ownership. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors must abide by College traffic regulations. The College reserves the right to issue a citation or to tow, at the owner’s risk and expense, any unregistered vehicle parked in violation. The Montgomery College Motor Vehicle Regulations and vehicle registration and parking information is available online at www.montgomerycollege.edu/parking.
Printing at MC
A kiosk style, pay-for-print system is in place at the College. Our kiosks currently use the Ink Labs cloud printing solution, and are located on each campus in the libraries, labs, and learning centers. To use these kiosks, you will need to create an Ink print account. The best way to pay for these copies is to pre-load your Ink account with a minimum of $5 as funds to be drawn for each print you request. Other payment options are also available. Visit the Printing at MC website for FAQs, tutorials, pricing, and other information: www.montgomerycollege.edu/printing.
Public Safety Services
Montgomery College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment at all times that will support and enhance the institution’s educational programs and services. The Department of Public Safety is responsible for the protection of the College community, first aid, emergency assistance, 24-hour escort service (upon request), maintenance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), enforcement of campus parking regulations, and the lost and found service. Officers on each campus are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In compliance with the Campus Safety and Security Act of 1990, the College’s Public Safety procedures are provided online in the Montgomery College Annual Security Report at www.montgomery college.edu/verified or www.montgomerycollege.edu/emergency. Click on the Annual Security Report.
Public Safety Office Locations
Germantown: Student Affairs and Science Building, Room 282; 240-567-3333
Rockville: Counseling and Advising Building, Room 101; 240-567-3333
Takoma Park/Silver Spring: Student Services Center, Room 117; 240-567-3333
Emergencies
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, call 911 first. Then call MC Public Safety at (240) 567-3333.
When a local or regional emergency affects Montgomery College, Montgomery College’s Public Safety personnel and other College officials utilize the College Emergency Operations Plan to coordinate their response activities with county, state, and federal authorities, as appropriate. The College works directly with Montgomery County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and other agencies of County government.
Additional information, including emergency evacuation area maps, is available at www.montgomerycollege.edu/emergency.
Emergency Preparedness
In the event of emergency situations involving Montgomery College directly or if an emergency occurs at the local, regional, or national level that could impact the college community Montgomery College’s safety and security personnel and other College officials utilize in-house emergency response plans and coordinate their response activities with local, county, state, and federal authorities, as appropriate. The College works directly in conjunction with Montgomery County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, in the event of any local activation of the county’s Emergency Operations Center.
Additional information, including emergency evacuation area maps, is available at www.montgomerycollege.edu/emergency.
Personal Safety
Personal safety depends on the actions each individual takes to prepare for, anticipate and respond to a perceived threat of danger. All visitors to the College are expected to take reasonable precautions that include an awareness of their surroundings; the phone number for Public Safety (240-567-3333) for assistance or an escort; and locations in which a visitor may hide or shelter-in-place. Visitors are encouraged to sign up for MC Alert text messaging on the Public Safety web page, and to be prepared to take immediate action when danger is observed or announced. For example, in the case of a reported Active Threat, College visitors will be notified as soon as the incident is verified to “Run, Hide, or Fight as appropriate”, knowing that each visitor must take the action most appropriate for the individual circumstance.
Visitors are encouraged to contact Public Safety for individual or group training in areas of concern.
Additional information, including emergency evacuation area maps, is available at www.montgomerycollege.edu/emergency.
Student Employment Services
The purpose of Student Employment Services is to teach currently enrolled students and recent graduates the skills that they need to become successfully employed, by assessing, identifying, and showcasing their skills and abilities in the job search process. This assistance is applicable in looking for part-time work to finance their education, internships relevant to their major to enhance their career journey, and full-time work in conjunction with their career goals. Employment services include:
- individual assistance with résumé writing, cover letter preparation, interview skills, job readiness, and job search skills;
- job readiness workshops (résumé preparation, interviewing techniques, etc.);
- job listings for full-time, part-time, and temporary employment opportunities (ejobs);
- internship course to earn credits while building career experience;
- employer on-campus recruitment;
- annual general job fairs and frequent “niche fairs” focused on specific majors; and
- access to computers to make use of online job search resources.
Locations:
Germantown: Student Affairs and Science Building; Room 265
Rockville: Student Services Building; Room 205
Takoma Park/Silver Spring: Resources Center; Room 205
A Student Employment Services Specialist is available on each campus to work with students on an individual basis. For more information, please e-mail studemp@montgomerycollege.edu or visit the website: www.montgomerycollege.edu/ejobs.
Student Life
The Student Life Office on each campus provides a place for students to take advantage of a variety of programs and opportunities to get involved at the College. These opportunities are an integral part of the co-curricular experience and they enhance the academic experience at the College. Programs provide students with skills and abilities in such areas as leadership, communication, program planning, budget and financial management, collaboration, social and civic engagement, and multicultural understanding. Programs and events may focus on students, the campuses, the college, and the community.
The Office of Student Life offers leadership training to provide students with the necessary skills to participate effectively in clubs and organizations. Students have the opportunity to run for office in the student government, participate in the planning and recommending of budget expenditure allocations, and they can contribute to the development of campus life. Available clubs and organizations vary by campus but generally include cultural, ethnic, religious, political, mentoring, tutorial, recreational, academic, and service clubs; other organizations include the campus newspapers and the campus Student Senates. Students can also form new clubs to add to the rich environment of each campus.
The Student Life Offices are located in room 113 of the Student Affairs and Science Building at Germantown, room 005 of the Campus Center at Rockville and room 217 of the Student Services Center at Takoma Park/ Silver Spring.
Locations:
Germantown: Student Affairs and Science Building; Room 113
Rockville: Campus Center; Room 005
Takoma Park/Silver Spring: Student Services Center; Room 217
New Student Orientation
The New Student Orientation Program is a beneficial program for all incoming first year students and is offered online or in-person. The three campuses offer several program formats prior to the beginning of fall and spring semesters. Specific information may be obtained from the Student Life Office websites for New Student Orientation: www.montgomerycollege.edu/orientation.
The orientation program introduces students, and their family members to a variety of first-year experiences designed to facilitate the transition to college life and help students enjoy a successful year at Montgomery College. Faculty, staff, administrators, and students collaborate to provide workshops, open houses, tours, discussions, and social events to help new students and their families learn about services, college expectations, campus life, academic issues, parent/ family involvement, safety, and much more.
Support Centers
The College provides a number of centers at each campus that support student success. Services include tutoring, study skills development, access to information technology, books, models, audiovisuals and other media, and other success skills materials and support activities. These services are free. Students are encouraged to stop by any of the centers listed on the following page for information regarding hours and available services.
Germantown Campus
- Math Accounting Physics Engineering Learning (MAPEL) Center, 202 SA (computer science tutoring also offered)
- Science Learning Center, 244 BE
- Cybersecurity Center, 230 HT (cybersecurity and computer science tutoring)
- Student Employment Services Office, 265 SA
- Writing Center and Language Lab, Writing, Reading and Language Center, 150 HS
Rockville Campus
- Digital Learning Center Computer Labs, 307, 312, 314, 320 HU; 25/26 CS
- World Languages Tutoring, 20 MT
- General Purpose Computer Labs, 312, 314 HU; 25/26 CS
- The Judy E. Ackerman STEM Learning Center, 109 SW
- Writing, Reading, and Language Center, 020MT/HU002
Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus
- Academic Success Center, 110 CM
- Learning Skills Support Services, 325 HC
- Medical Learning Center, 221 HC
- Health Sciences Student Success Center, 226 HC
- Science Learning Center, 101 SN
- Mathematics Learning Center, P1 101D; MP 249
- Student Employment Services, 205 RC
- Digital Learning Center, 304 ST
- Writing, Reading, and Language Center, 105 RC
Television
Montgomery College Television (MCTV) is a nationally award-winning educational television channel and media outlet providing high quality, thought provoking video programming for students and community members. Content covers topics ranging from career exploration, academic support, student resources and social justice to local history, sports, performing arts, commencement and much more. Montgomery College students can get involved by participating in practical hands-on engineering and television production internships. Interning as a student aide with MCTV includes job training in a state-of-the-art HD facility and learning to create live programs from the studio as well as remotely on field shoots. Students also engage in digital video and audio editing, writing for broadcast and social media, and have the opportunity to appear on camera. MCTV invites you to be a part of the community of viewers and watch online or via cable in Montgomery County. For online streaming, links to on-demand videos and social platforms, MCTV’s program schedule, and to apply for student opportunities visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/mctv. To watch on cable television: view The Education Channel featuring both MCTV and MCPS-TV in HD on Comcast # 998. MCTV also airs 24/7 on cable channel # 10 on Comcast and Verizon, and # 1059 on RCN.
Transportation
Current Montgomery College students can board the Ride On bus or MC Campus Shuttle at no additional cost. They must simply show the driver a College student identification card with a current semester sticker. Express routes may incur a fee. Ride On schedules, maps, and routes are available online at the Ride On and Transit Services page of the Montgomery County website: www.montgomerycountymd.gov. Additional information and the MC Shuttle schedule can be found at www.montgomerycollege.edu/shuttleapp. For details on how to obtain a valid MC student ID, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/studentid. For more information on transportation, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/transportation.
TRIO Programs
In 1965, Congress established a series of programs to help low-income Americans enter college, graduate, and move on to participate more fully in the country’s economic and social life. These programs are funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and are referred to as the TRIO Programs.
Educational Opportunity Center
The Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) provides information and counseling on college admissions to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. An important objective of EOC is to counsel participants on financial aid options and to assist in the application process. The goal of EOC is to increase the number of adult participants who enroll in postsecondary education institutions.
Students in the program are eligible to receive career counseling, college admission and financial aid counseling, application assistance, financial literacy advising, and, when necessary, referrals to English as a Second Language and GED instructional programs. Participation eligibility is based on the following categories: first-generation college student (neither parent has a bachelor’s degree), low-income student (based on taxable income and family size), and the desire to enroll in postsecondary education. In addition, students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents or meet the residency requirements for federal financial assistance. The EOC office and satellite locations at community- based organizations, social services agencies, and other community resource programs make higher education information conveniently accessible to Montgomery County residents.
The EOC program is located in 150 CF on the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus. For more information, please call 240-567-5644 or visit the website www.montgomerycollege.edu/special-programs/trio-programs-at-mc.
Student Support Services
Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally funded grant program through the U.S. Department of Education serving Montgomery College students since Fall 2001. Our goal is to positively affect and increase the college’s retention, transfer, and graduation rates by providing and coordinating a variety of educational support services and activities for our first-generation college students, students who meet federal low-income guidelines, and/or students with disabilities. In this capacity, we facilitate the process of a student’s transition from one level of higher education to the next.
Participation in the program is limited to 175 Montgomery College students. To qualify for the program, a student must be:
- A U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Currently enrolled at MC
- In need of academic support
AND
Meet one of the following categories:
- A first-generation college student (neither of the student’s parents has received a four-year degree in the U.S.). A low income individual based on federal guidelines.
- An individual with a disability
Services provided
- Academic, career, and transfer advising
- Financial aid/literacy advising
- English, reading, and mathematics tutoring
- Mentoring
- Workshops on academic skills, career exploration/planning, social services, and other topics
Student Support Services’ goal is achieved by providing
- Staff who are invested in students’ academic success
- Personalized attention for each individual situation
- Assistance in learning to navigate the College system and identify resources
- A learning community for personal and academic growth
- Academic advising and monitoring
- Resource information for career exploration and planning
- Transfer assistance and advising
- Financial aid application assistance
- A sense of belonging and purpose
We believe in the value of each individual, and we enjoy the privilege of serving and witnessing student growth. We believe in students’ dreams and provide a nurturing and supportive environment for the realization and accomplishment of those dreams. Our goal is to empower students to make positive life choices, adapt to a changing world that requires new responsibilities and skills, and create and maintain supportive connections and communities.
Please e-mail sss@montgomerycollege.edu or visit our website at www.montgomerycollege.edu/trio for more information.
