Chipola ranked 3rd in U.S. by bestcolleges.com

Chipola College officials recently announced that BestColleges.com has ranked Chipola number three on its list of the Best Online Colleges with Open Admissions in the U.S.

“We’re very proud of our ranking,” said college president, Dr. Sarah Clemmons. “We believe our students and employees are some of the very best in the country. This ranking affirms that we are providing access to quality learning opportunities.”

Vikki Milton, Chipola’s Director of Learning Resources, says, “I am proud of our faculty and eLearning staff who have worked hard to earn this national ranking. President Clemmons is a champion of educational technology and quality online courses. Our faculty who teach virtually are trained to apply the national Quality Matters standards to develop online courses. Chipola’s face-to-face and online courses have had a digital presence in the Canvas learning management system since 2013. This enabled Chipola to quickly move to a fully online campus in response to the Pandemic.”

BestColleges also ranked Chipola No.9 on both the Top 10 Colleges in Florida and Best Accredited Colleges in Florida lists.

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Best Colleges with Open Admissions   Best Colleges in Florida

Chipola’s BestColleges rankings are the latest in a list of recent honors, including six consecutive nominations for the prestigious Aspen Prize (2021, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2011). Chipola also was named one of the top colleges in the Florida College System in 2018 and 2017 for earning a Gold ranking in the state’s Performance Funding Model program. 

BestColleges helps prospective students find schools that best meet their needs through proprietary research, user-friendly guides, and hundreds of independent college rankings. BestColleges reviews factors such as admission requirements, financial aid programs, courses of study, and online learning opportunities when compiling rankings. All schools profiled hold regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Colleges with open admissions admit all qualifying students with a high school degree or GED. For students with below-average academic records or limited resources, open admissions bypass competition and instead prioritize a student's personal commitment to education. Rather than standardized test scores like the SAT or ACT, open admissions colleges use placement tests to gauge student capabilities.

Chipola is designated as a state college in the Florida College System. Established in 1947, Chipola offers the Bachelor of Science Degree, the Associate in Arts Degree, the Associate in Science Degree and Workforce Development programs.