CNC Receives High Rating in Maclean's Magazine

Wednesday, June 04, 2008 04:00 AM

(Photo Opinion 250 Staff)

Prince George, B.C. - Once again the College of New Caledonia has been given a high ranking in Maclean’s magazine for quality of education.

In a survey completed by 16,300 B.C. college graduates, CNC ranked in the top 5 for 13 questions and in the top 10 for 23 out of 26 questions.

Detailed results below indicate students are very pleased with their skill development, however many would like more training with regards to getting a new job and skills/ knowledge in performing a job.

How well did the program help develop your skills?

CNC’s rank out of 21 BC colleges

• Analyze and think critically ..............................................#3

• Use other tools and equipment ......................................#4

• Resolve issues or problems ............................................#4

• Read and comprehend materials ....................................#5

• Work effectively with others ...........................................#5

• Learn on your own .........................................................#6

• Speak effectively.............................................................#7

• Use computers ...............................................................#7

• Write clearly and concisely .............................................#8

• Use mathematics .........................................................#12

Student level of satisfaction with aspects of the program:

CNC’s rank out of 21 BC colleges

• Availability of instructors outside class ..........................#2

• Helpfulness of instructors outside class ........................#2

• Library materials ...........................................................#3

• Quality of computers and software ...............................#3

• Fair assessments (tests, papers)..................................#4

• Amount of practical experience .....................................#5

• Quality of instruction .....................................................#5

• Textbooks and learning materials .................................#6

• Organization of program ...............................................#7

• Quality of other tools and equipment............................#8

• Program workload..........................................................#8

• Overall satisfaction with studies ...................................#9

Usefulness of training:

CNC’s rank out of 21 BC colleges

• Usefulness of training in getting new job (Arts and sciences programs) .......................#4

• Usefulness of training in getting new job (Applied programs).......................................#14

• Usefulness of skills/knowledge in performing job (Arts and sciences programs)............#6

• Usefulness of skills/knowledge in performing job (Applied programs)..........................#13

Average overall ranking: 6th in B.C. (out of 21 colleges).

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Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 04:00 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: owl on June 4 2008 9:24 AM

Sorry for doing this, but the key indicator to me is the perceived end result of why one attends college - to be trained adequately to do a job and to get a job.

two indicators are the key:

1. Usefulness of skills/knowledge in performing job (Applied programs)..#13

2. Usefulness of training in getting new job (Applied programs)...#14

That is out of 21 colleges which means CNC, with respect to trades, business and other associated certificate and diploma courses CNC is below the median of the college(s) in the #11 position.

It appears that the college is not doing providing the excellence in the very programs only CNC can deliver, while they are doing very well in the area that we have UNBC able to provide an education.

Why is that????? Is the Board, the administration and faculty an academic elitist group? Are they so focused on competing with UNBC that they cannot excell at doing what only they can do?

Posted by: Dirtyrottenresearcher on June 4 2008 10:44 AM

CNC has the capability of offering much more than UNBC in the way of an arts and science education. The college is much more flexible than UNBC as after taking two at CNC students can transfer to any university in BC. For that reason some of the college board and administration's recent cuts to programs, especially in the arts and sciences make very little sense. For the most part these opportunities are simply not available at UNBC.

UNBC students have much more limited options at UNBC, and should they decide to transfer elsewhere, many of their courses would at best be unassigned transfer credits. In my opinion, it makes sense for students to go to CNC for the first two years of their academic education for a number of obvious reasons:

1. Smaller class sizes so better student instructor contact
2. Instructors focussed on students and not on research. Universities are the places to be for research.
3. More options if one's goals are not so clear at the outset.
4. Less costly educational programs

The key indicators of being #4 in getting a job and #6 in useful skills in applying the job are laudable, as more education clearly leads to higher paying jobs.

As for Owl's comment about the Board, faculty and administration being an elitist group, those entities are hardly a group let alone elitist, or in the case of the board and administration, academic. Opportunities in trades tend to be cyclical; training in the arts and sciences will always serve a person regardless of where his or her career leads.

CNC and UNBC offer different opportunities but for my money CNC has more options, even in arts and sciences, and thus CNC provides better chances for students to succeed.

The Maclean's rating process while possibly suspect in its construct validity is still a helpful marketing ploy - congratulations to the college faculty and staff whose hard work has paid off in this respectable rating.

Posted by: Yoshi on June 4 2008 11:02 AM

Somewhat interesting in that the University Transfer programs are the ones that score well, but those are the ones being cut. Ummm.......

Posted by: xommilf on June 4 2008 8:25 PM

Owl,
In PG we are lucky enough to have two post secondary institutions that do a good job of educating students in the arts and sciences. Why try to cast CNC's good news in an adversarial light vis a vis UNBC? Be happpy when one of our PG institutions does well.

Two of my children attended CNC, transferred their credits to southern universities, obtained degrees, and are now happy, productive, employed adults. Where's the elitism in that?