Using the system

So you picked the University of Nevada, Reno out of the many higher-education options around the country. Good choice. Although UNR has an extensive summer schedule and great classes during the year to fulfill your requirements, there are other options for students on the fast track to graduation.

Truckee Meadows Community College has an extensive summer program, including core classes needed for graduation from UNR and a long list of online classes. TMCC campuses are close to UNR and easily accessible for students. The main campus, 7000 Dandini Blvd., is a few miles north of the UNR campus.

Signing up for classes at TMCC is quick and easy. There is open admission year round and only a one-page application with a $10 processing fee. As soon as you turn in your money and application (in person or online), you can start signing up for classes.

Some UNR students first experience TMCC during the summer, but TMCC offers a long list of transferable classes to help with scheduling conflicts, pricing and special interests not offered at UNR during the fall and spring semesters.

Most of the classes offered at TMCC easily transfer over to UNR with the same amount of credits and prestige.

“There are a few classes that only transfer as electives,” said Kyle Dalpe, spokesman for the public information office at TMCC. “It is important to get with an advisor to determine if your classes will transfer.”

Also classes with a “B” designator (for example, MATH 107B) don’t transfer to UNR.

Keep in mind that “students are only allowed to apply 64 credits from two-year transfer institutions towards their bachelor’s degree at UNR,” said Dr. Nancy Markee, director of UNR’s Academic Advising Center.

Dr. Markee suggested that a student take a class at TMCC if a “course would

be beneficial for a student to take given his/her personal or professional goals, a class might be full at UNR but open at TMCC [or] a class might be offered at TMCC at a time that will work for the student. Any recommendations would depend on the student’s specific situation.”

With UNR growing by the minute, it is sometimes hard to get into the classes that you need. TMCC offers classes like English 101 and 102 or Core Humanities 201, 202 and 203. At UNR, these are packed with students during the fall and spring semesters and fill up first in summer.

TMCC is also less expensive than her big sister, which will help stretch your tuition dollar. During the summer, each credit at TMCC is $56, so a three-credit class would cost $168, compared to at UNR where summer classes are $98 a credit and $294 for a three-credit summer class. In the fall, UNR credits go up $3, while they drop $1.25 per credit at TMCC.