Polk State College

User-friendly, diverse, and convenient are just a few ways to describe Polk Community College. Polk Community College's offerings meet you where you are and take you where you want to go. Located in Winter Haven, Florida, Polk Community College is probably best known for its Education Preparation Institute, a unique teacher-certification program. Polk Community College academics are diverse and offer a variety of options. The largest of its kind in the state of Florida, the Education Preparation Institute (EPI) is for those who already have bachelor's degrees in arts fields other than education. The Polk State College EPI is considered an accelerated program and offers training towards teacher certification in a condensed amount of time. Polk State College also offers certification to become a correctional officer, as well as many science-oriented certificates and two-year and four-year degrees. Always friendly to its diverse student body, Polk offers different options for pursuing whichever degree you choose. The Honors program, for example, is a rigorous educational pathway for those wanting to transfer to competitive universities. Structured around the schedules of working individuals, EPI classes are conducted mostly online. In-person classes meet only twice per month. There are also distance-learning options for those with hectic schedules or those living outside of Winter Haven. These include both online classes and hybrid options which combine online and face-to-face learning. The dual enrollment program allows those still in high school to begin their college study early. Polk State College's student services also strive to meet each student's needs in their hectic college life. In addition to conventional career services and learning resources, Polk State offers the Educational Talent Search. This provides supplementary support to those from disadvantaged backgrounds wishing to pursue careers or to transfer to a four-year university. Polk Community College financial aid packages include scholarships, loans and work-study, available to applicants who qualify for tuition assistance.

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