Online Catalog
Three Year Option
Vermont Technical College has developed three-year associate's degree options in several majors. The Three-Year Options (3YO) were designed for students who need development in academic courses such as math, science and English to prepare them for the rigors of a demanding technical education program.
These programs are also appropriate for students who want to progress through the program at a more moderate pace. Examples of the 3YO curricula are listed on the back page of this booklet. Complete curricula and requirements of the two-year and three-year programs can be found in the Vermont Tech Catalog.(link to online catalog)
How do I enroll in Three-Year Options?
There are three ways a student can enroll in one of the Three-Year Options.
- Students may choose to enroll in the program if they are not confident of their academic preparation in math, science and/or English.
- The Admissions Committee may accept a student directly into the 3YO based upon one or more of the following: a. High school academic GPA, b. SAT or ACT scores, c. Academic courses completed in high school (level and content)
- Students can be accepted into the 3YO upon the recommendation of the Vermont Tech Placement Committee after review of the Vermont Tech Placement Test Scores.
Two-year students may also choose to move to 3YO after the first few weeks of classes. Typically, this is a choice students make if the academic challenge early in the semester is beyond what they had anticipated, or they find 3YO better suited to their schedules.
Who is best suited for the Three-Year Options?
Students who apply to Vermont Tech who are academically unprepared for the pace of the two-year program in math, science and English may be admitted into 3YO.
The decision to admit students into 3YO indicates the College's confidence in a student's ability to succeed at Vermont Tech, assuming appropriate preparation for the courses required in a given major.
Students who did not take college-track math and science courses in high school, or who have been out of school long enough that academic skills may be a little rusty, make up the majority of those admitted to 3YO. In addition, students with busy work schedules and family commitments often choose 3YO as an alternative to the intense time demands of a full-time, two-year technology program.
What makes Three-Year Options unique?
Vermont Tech, like many colleges, has tried a number of traditional ways to help students make a successful transition to college. These methods usually start with developmental courses in math, science and English, combined with tutoring. The disadvantage of this approach is that students frequently are not taking any courses in their chosen major for much of their first year in school. Vermont Tech's 3YO majors offer a significant differences and advantages.
- 3YO are three-year associate's degree programs that engage students in course work in their majors starting with the first semester and every semester thereafter.
- 3YO courses are designed with mastery of the subject as a top priority. Learning skills and strategies are integrated into the academic courses. For example, students working in groups both teach and learn from one another.
- 3YO courses are taught at a pace that matches the students' ability to absorb the materials.
- 3YO students take lighter credit loads each semester.
- 3YO offers close faculty/student interaction through labs, recitations and mentoring.
What are the advantages of the Three-Year Options?
Although 3YO means an extra year to complete their degree, students consistently tell us they're happy with their experience in the programs.
3YO gives them more time to study and master the more difficult courses, such as math, physics, and English. They appreciate the one-on-one interaction with faculty. And, because they progress through a shared core curriculum in the same sequence as their peers in two-year programs, they graduate with the same solid understanding of their chosen fields.
A recent survey of student satisfaction with 3YO showed the following:
- 91% said 3YO was the right placement for them.
- 72% said the pace was good.
- 82% said the lighter credit load was helpful.
- 66% said faculty contact time was well spent.
- 65% said faculty helped them with study skills.
What majors offer Three-Year Options?
Architectural & Building Engineering Technology
Civil & Environmental Engineering Technology
Computer Engineering Technology
Electrical Engineering Technology
Mechanical Engineering Technology