A Note to Parents

Choosing a college and career may be one of the most important decision you will make with you son or daughter as they transition into adulthood. Especially when you start thinking about the long term effects of short term decisions. Things like what is the best program for my child? What kind of job can they expect? Where will they live? and most importantly is it worth it?

And although it may sound harsh, many parents also ask some very serious questions about value. Questions like: what is college going to cost? Will we have to get a loan and go into debt? Will it be practical training or a bunch of theory? Will they be safe?

These are all important questions and, frankly, ones which we have even asked ourselves. On this page you will find some answers and some links. Frank discussion about the CIS program at MHCC. After which, we hope you'll see why we think the CIS program at Mt Hood is one into which you will want to look.

Why Computers? | Programs we offer | What about transferability? | The "Community" of Community College Accountability

Why Computers?

A very interesting problem is occurring in the computer industry. Since the end of 2000, enrollments in computer science (CS) and information systems (IS, CIS and IT) programs has dropped dramatically across the USA. There are a lot of reasons why this occurred. Some think it was the dot-com bust after the 90's. Some think it was due to "off shoring" IT jobs overseas.

But whatever the reason for the drop, the reality is that careers in CIS are going through a renaissance of sorts. For example: the Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that of the top 20 careers in terms of growth over the next decade, CIS programs account for a quarter of those careers. ComputerWorld talks about a "perfect storm" where there will soon be twice as many entry level IT jobs as there will be American graduates to fill those jobs. eWeek recently reported that there is already a desperate shortage of computer security professionals. Yahoo recently reported that of the top 5 hottest careers without a degree, three are computer related (#1 Computer Security, #3 Graphic Design, #5 Cisco networking)(All of which we teach at MHCC).

The bottom line is that the demand for qualified IT professionals is quickly out running the supply of available candidates.

Even Bill Gates thinks this is a problem.

Then consider that as baby-boomers begin to exit the job market, we think that we are seeing an interesting opportunity for students presently entering college. That is, students entering college today for CIS training will see a new "golden opportunity" where the demand for computer professionals is very high and the supply is very, very low. In fact, if you go take a look at job want ad sites like monster.com, dice.com, and even craigslist.com, you will start seeing jobs that require a lot of experience, but will also contain words like "entry level will be considered". There is only one reason why that is happening -- they cannot fill the jobs. This situation will only get more critical over the next 5 to 10 years.

When we look into our "crystal ball", we believe that the new college student entering a CIS program, who could potentially earn a AAS or AS in the next 2 to 3 years, and perhaps a BS in the next 5-6 years will be in a very unique position to take advantage of entering into an excellent career. Or, as we say, they will be in the exact right place, at the exact right time, doing the exact right thing.

So, computer careers are starting to look pretty good again. The question now is which computer program should we pursue?

[Back to top]

Programs We Offer

The purpose of a community college is to prepare graduates to be effective in the community where that college exists. At MHCC, we look not only toward the Gresham markets, but also to the Portland metropolitan, Vancouver metropolitan, and Columbia Gorge towards The Dalles, as well as the greater Pacific Northwest.

As such, when we look at the training where students can be the most effective, we see five primary areas. These are detailed in our "Roadmap for Success". The hot spots covered by the AAS and certificates include:

What about Transferability?

One of the big considerations about choosing a community college is cost. In many universities, the costs of going to school are spiraling out of control. NPR reports that a four-year degree at a private school averages $30,000 and that a four-year public school can cost as much as $50,000. At $75/unit, a class at MHCC is quite the bargain.

If you are looking at a certificate or perhaps a two-year degree, this is not so much of an issue. But, if you are considering a four-year degree, you may be wanting to see where you can cut costs as much as possible. Enter MHCC.

You actually have several options at this point and need to ask the right questions. Some choose the option of "co-enrollment". That is, you can enroll at MHCC and a university like PSU at the same time. You take PSU courses and supplement with equal quality courses from MHCC. But, you need to be sure which courses you try to substitute. For example, our CIS120 and CIS120L Computer Concepts I class and lab combination are approved by the State of Oregon and are fully transferable to any university to fulfill certain technology requirements. Other classes also transfer well such as the CIS122 Computer Concepts III class, the CIS140 Operating Systems class, and others.

Sometimes people will choose to get their degree at MHCC and then transfer "as many courses as possible" to the university of their choice. Not a bad choice but remember that many classes only transfer as "electives" and you may end up having to take some classes over. Just a fact.

MHCC / OIT Partnership

MHCC does have a very interesting option into which you will want to look. By partnering with OIT we have created a virtually seamless program where you can earn an AS degree at MHCC and every credit transfers to OIT for the first two years of their BS in Operations Management. So you can earn a four year degree at a significant savings over a traditional four year program.

But wait... There's more! OIT is in Klamath Falls and that's quite the commute. So OIT has agreed to run third and fourth year programs out of their Portland campus and even through distance learning programs, so that you can stay local if you desire.

But wait... There's more! If we can build a "cadre" of students who can take classes together, OIT will be able to run OIT classes but on the MHCC campus. It will be our facilities but their teachers and their programs. In essence, you will be able to earn a full four-year degree in CIS and Operations Management -- and never leave Gresham!

It's not for everybody. But it may be perfect for you.

[Back to top]

The "Community" of the Community College

Today's young people seem to work pretty well in groups and teams. They seem to gravitate toward each other in mutual support and respect in most excellent ways. Unfortunately, a community college, especially a commuter college, does not lend itself well to the community atmosphere. There are no dorms. There are no frat houses. There are no weekends at the commons. There are also not a lot of parties (you know what I mean). Still, MHCC is committed to bringing a sense of community -- a sense of belonging -- to the community college student.

We do this in several ways. MHCC's schedule is loaded with programs, events, gatherings, and more designed to bringing students together. On the Internet many courses take advantage of the MHCC "Portal". The Portal provides a sort of MySpace for teachers to post assignments, make announcements, and be in communication with students. It also provides a way for students to be in communication with each other. Portal communications are safe, recorded, and monitored. Best of all, using the Portal students can collaborate on projects, homework, or just talk. And, many instructors use the grade book option which helps your student know what assignments are due, when exams are scheduled, and how they are doing. We believe that students feel more secure when there are no surprises.

Accountability

How can you be sure that you are getting your monies worth in an investment in education? That is one of the biggest questions we hear. You have seen the web pages that talk about how much more the average A. S. graduate earns over the average high school graduate. But will your child actually learn the material that they need to know to be successful? Much of the time that is up to the student themselves. They are responsible for what they "bring to the party". But here at MHCC, we take a special pride in helping students find their inner success both in class and in real life.

For example: students are allowed to "self advise". That is, they can choose to take most any class they want whenever that class is offered. However, most instructors (and especially the CIS instructors) prefer that students review their plans with one of us.

That is why the CIS department offers a regular "Advising Cafe" where students can come by, share a cup of coffee, and go over their plans for the next term. We find that for the most part, students do know exactly what they need and when they need it. But from time to time a little direction helps to avoid unnecessary "issues". You know what I mean.

In fact, many times parents will come to the Cafe to discuss advising issues with us. You are always welcome to come by and review your student's educational plan. And during Advising Cafe, we'll even buy the coffee.

Welcome to MHCC

Thank you for considering Mt Hood Community College to meet your educational needs. And we welcome your input and your inquiries. Feel free to email me any time at paul.morris@mhcc.edu.