Queensborough Community College in Bayside is among the best in the nation, according to a new ranking released by WalletHub, a financial website.
On Sept. 4, WalletHub released its report on 2019’s Best and Worst Community Colleges, coupled with its state-by-state ranking of the Best and Worst Community-College Systems. To determine where students can receive the best education at the cheapest rates, WalletHub compared 710 community colleges across 19 key indicators of cost and quality. The data set ranges from the cost of in-state tuition and fees to student-faculty ratio to graduation rate.
Rated 13 out of 710 community colleges nationwide, Queensborough, located at 222-05 56th Ave., is the only college in the tri-state/metropolitan area named a top community college, placing it among the top 2 percent in America, according to WalletHub. This is the third year in a row that the college has been listed highly by WalletHub.
“A Queensborough education is transformative. Our faculty, staff and students are really the ones who are among the best,” said Queensborough Interim President Dr. Timothy G. Lynch.
WalletHub’s rankings are based on three key dimensions: Cost and financing, education outcomes and career outcomes.
“The experts measure factors central to every college student’s experience. We’re very pleased to have been recognized for our performance as a top institution of higher learning,” Lynch said.
According to WalletHub analyst, Jill Gonzalez, students have a high median salary after attending Queensborough.
“Some [other] reasons Queensborough Community College ranked highly are the availability of employment services for students, and the large average amount of grants or scholarships aid received,” Gonzalez said.
With nearly 16,000 students, Queensborough is a leading destination for learners throughout the area, especially in Queens and Nassau County. Queensborough’s education outcomes were also especially high, according to WalletHub.
“The advantages of [Queensborough] are the presence of special learning opportunities such as accelerated programs, work-study programs, dual enrollment, and evening/weekend classes,” Gonzalez said.
Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the City University of New York (CUNY) two-year college offers a depth and breadth of courses and degree programs considered among the best in the state. Accreditors have also commended the Bayside college for its genuine care for student success, small college feel, and the quality of its support programs.
“One of the best aspects of completing your degree at Queensborough is that it opens doors to the most prestigious universities and colleges in the country,” said Queensborough Vice President Stephen Di Dio.
Cornell University’s Julio Salas could not agree more.
The recent Queensborough graduate is conducting research on brain development and studying pre-med this fall at the Ivy League’s sprawling Ithaca campus.
“I took Psychology 101 at Queensborough and that opened my eyes and got me more interested in child development,” said the 21-year-old, who wants to open a medical practice for first-generation Americans near his home in Corona, one of the most diverse counties in the country.
Offering 40-plus undergraduate programs, Queensborough has as an excellent, long-established reputation for learning support, career guidance and generous financial aid. About 90 percent of students complete their courses without having federal loan student debt and because it is part of CUNY, a quality education is guaranteed.
Most notable, however, is its reputation for helping people start, complete and advance to higher degrees – especially for students who are the first in their families to go to college.
Student Kaylynn Pubill finished a summer session course in chemistry in preparation for her first semester at Hunter College this fall. The Queensborough graduate earned an associate’s degree in health sciences and decided to apply and transfer within CUNY to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology.
“My family is so proud of me. They’re supportive and know how much I love science, health, the body and taking care of people,” Pubill said.
Queensborough rising sophomore Sue Singh, 31, from Jamaica Estates, returned to college in the fall to continue her associate’s degree in psychology.
“College is not just for me. I’m doing it for my daughter and her future,” said Singh, a participant in Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), CUNY’s acclaimed comprehensive program of academic, financial and career-related services.
Queensborough Community College is highly regarded for its accredited nursing and psychology programs, engineering science and art education that places it in the same class as Cooper Union, Pratt and FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology). The CUNY college also provides financial, academic and career-based advantages to consider.
Approximately 2,315 students earned their associate degrees from Queensborough in the 2017-2018 academic year – its largest graduating class.
