This spring, a record 4,313 students enrolled at UH-Maui College (UH-MC). To help these students succeed, the college offers a variety of support services: tutorials to help students with mathematics and other courses, advising and counseling to help with personal and career challenges, and faculty and staff who will assist with everything from coursework to child care.
To get started, new students need to take their college entrance tests and submit scores, declare their residency if local, and complete a health clearance form confirming that immunizations are current. For students needing financial aid, there are additional forms.
To help with these requirements and other questions students might have, UH-MC now requires a mandatory New Student Orientation program for Maui County high school graduates. Student Life offers this four-hour program, which covers advising, registration and program options. A checklist for prospective students is also available at maui.hawaii.edu/nso/checklist.html.
If you are a high school student, or the parents of a high school student, here are some dates to remember:
Registration for UH-MC Summer School and Fall Semester courses begins April 11, 2011.
Applications for admission to UH-MC were accepted as early as January, and are available on our campus website: www.maui.hawaii.edu.
Though the main deadline for financial aid has passed, students needing financial assistance are still encouraged to get help from the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC), located in the Ho'okipa building on the Kahului campus. Last year, EOC assisted 1,550 new and continuing students to apply for scholarships and file their financial aid forms.
To help place students in the appropriate classes, UH-MC requires all freshmen to take the COMPASS placement tests in math and English. Each test takes about an hour and is offered through The Learning Center locally, or other community college or ACT centers for students who live off-island. Taking care of test requirements early can reduce last-minute anxieties. Transfer students from outside the UH system will need to have their transcripts mailed from their prior institutions.
Finally, all new students attend the General Student Orientation sessions offered at the beginning of each semester. These sessions introduce new students to the campus facilities, activities and staff. Students who participate in campus orientations make new friends and discover the many services here on campus to help them achieve success. For dates and times of GSO and NSO sessions, call the Student Life office at 984-3434.
Admission to college need not be difficult if students start early and take it in manageable steps. But we also like to remind students that no amount of support can substitute for their own hard work and enthusiasm for learning. Education does not come easily, and it requires dedication, sacrifice, and discipline. Is it worth it? Given the uncertainties of our global, national, regional and local economies, a college education is one of the best investments one can make. It will increase the income you're likely to earn. According to a 2008 report by the U.S. Census Bureau, the typical full-time worker with a four-year college degree earned on average 87 percent more than a worker with only a high school diploma, or $58,613 compared to $31,283.
Increase your flexibility in a tough economy
Increase your chances for good health
Appreciate in value over time
UH-MC offers a wealth of certificate and degree programs. If you're thinking of coming to college, there's no time like the present to get started.
* Clyde Sakamoto is chancellor of the University of Hawaii Maui College. Ka'ana Mana'o, which means "sharing thoughts," is scheduled to appear the fourth Sunday of each month. It is penned by UH Maui College staff and is intended to provide the community of Maui County information about opportunities available through the college at its Kahului campus and its education centers.
