FAQ's

How are students rewarded for their academic accomplishments?

Full-time student and part-time students who complete a minimum of six semester credit hours and earn a 3.50-3.99 grade point average in any term are honored by being named to the Dean's List. Full-time and part-time students who complete a minimum of six semester credit hours and earn a 4.0 grade point average in any term are honored by being named to the President's List. Candidates for graduation who earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50 in course work applicable to their study will graduate with program honors. Phi Theta Kappa is a national scholastic honor society for students of two-year colleges. Membership may be offered to students who have competed at least 12 semester hours of course work with a 3.50 grade point average in courses that apply toward a two-year associate degree program.

How does DMACC help students transfer to a 4-year college/university?

It is never too early for students to start planning their transfer to a four-year college. Planning in advance will increase success in transferring credits. Students should meet with a DMACC counselor or advisor each semester to make sure they are on track and for assistance with planning their schedules. If they are not certain as to where they will transfer after DMACC, they should begin by researching and visiting four-year colleges as soon as possible. Please visit the DMACC advising website transfer area.

How does DMACC help graduates find jobs?

According to the 2005-06 Graduation Status report, 89% of DMACC gradates looking for work found employment. Services provided by the Student Employment Assistance office include full-time and part-time job listings, internships and seasonal listings, work-study information, and on-campus recruiting. Students can also receive help with resume writing, application letters, and interviewing techniques. DMACC has a website: www.iowacareer.net, which allows students to post their resumes and employers to post jobs.

Does DMACC have a student health service, gym/wellness center?

Ankeny campus has a part-time campus nurse, There are indoor recreational facilities at Ankeny and Boone campuses. They are open on regular student contact days and hours may vary. Schedules are available at the gym office. All current DMACC students are eligible to participate in Recreation/Wellness activities at no extra fee. At the Ankeny Campus, indoor facilities accommodate basketball, volleyball, and indoor track. Free weights, CYBEX equipment, exercise balls, stair climbers, treadmills, exercise mats and locker rooms are also available for student use.

Where do students eat? Are there meal plans?

Ankeny, Boone, Urban/Des Moines, and West campuses have food services where food is prepared on-site. There are no meal plans; students pay at each meal. For formal dining, the Culinary Arts students on the Ankeny Campus operate the Bistro, located in Building 7.

How does DMACC provide safety for its students? Are there late night escorts? Is there a campus security team?

At the Ankeny campus, DMACC provides 24-hour/day security officer patrol. The Urban/Des Moines campus provides security officer patrol Monday through Friday from 7 am - 10:30 pm during student contact days. In addition, the Ankeny, Des Moines, Boone, Carroll, Newton, and West Des Moines Police Departments patrol and assist the college in their respective jurisdictions. Security can escort students to their vehicles, as well as provide air for flat tires, jumpstarts, locksmith, and a free gallon of gas to get to the nearest gas station if on empty.

What options are there for student parking? Is there a fee?

Parking regulations apply at all six campuses. Parking lots are marked with signs designating areas for students, disabled, and staff/faculty parking. Violating parking regulations will result in fines. At the Ankeny, Boone, Newton, and Carroll campuses parking permits are required for all vehicles driven by daytime students. At the Urban/Des Moines campus, parking permits are required for all vehicles, day/evening/weekend. Stickers and parking regulations are available at no charge from the Information Center at Ankeny in Building 1 and from the Business Office at the other campuses.

Can students get medical insurance through college?

DMACC does not have medical insurance, but the campus nurse can provide brochures regarding the medical and dental insurance options for students.

What scholarships are specific to DMACC?

The DMACC Foundation provides funds for DMACC students as scholarships and grants. Foundation money comes from private sources, including individual donations, business and industry support and a variety of fundraising activities. These awards are competitive and are awarded through an application process. A full listing of Foundation scholarship awards can be found on the website. For most scholarships, the deadline date is May 1.

Are computer labs available for student use?

DMACC provides its students with the latest equipment in all labs and classrooms. There are over 2,000 computers at the six campuses for students to use on regular student contact days. Students need to contact the campus they plan to attend for computer lab hours.

What are the housing options?

Student housing apartments are conveniently located on the Ankeny and Boone campuses. Apartments are owned and operated by private firms. Information is available from the College Information Center, Building 1, Ankeny campus, and in the Student Services Office at the Boone campus. Information about housing near the Carroll, Newton, Urban/Des Moines, and West campuses is available from Student Services at those campuses. Another suggestion would be to go to http://www.apartmentbluebook.com/ and do a search.

How Diverse is DMACC?

A total of 14,291 students were enrolled at DMACC's six campuses during spring semester 2005. the breakdown is as follows: 83% Caucasian, 5% African American, 3% Asian, 2% Hispanic, 1% Indian, and 7% unknown. Sixteen percent of DMACC students were first time freshmen and 24% were second year students.

How many credits should students take their first semester?

A full-time student at DMACC enrolls in 12 credits or more for fall and spring semesters. During the summer semester, 8 credits or more is considered full-time. For first time college students, we recommend being conservative their first semester. On average, they should take between 12-15 credits per semester.

How is student enrollment verified? Who has access to student grades?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 applies to student educational records and prohibits the release of personally identifiable information from those records without the written release of the student. The only information that is permissible to release is information considered to be directory information (name, address, phone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, previous institutions attended, activity/sports participation, wt/ht of athletic team members). Parents do not automatically have access to their child's information without his/her permission, even when the student is under 18.

What services are available if students are having personal problems or are uncertain about career choices?

DMACC counselors are available to assist all current or prospective students in reaching their educational, personal and career goals. they provide the following services: educational planning, career planning, personal counseling, identifying options when experiencing academic difficulties, helping to choose a major and interpreting career tests and inventories. Counselors can also help students through a crisis.

What factors should student consider before dropping a class?

Students are encouraged to visit with a counselor or advisor before dropping classes. The counselor/advisor can help them see the pros/cons of dropping. Also, it might be a good idea for parents to check with their health insurance company, often times, college-age students will be dropped from the policy if they are not full-time students. DMACC students have free access to DMACC tutoring and the Academic Achievement Center services, which are available at all six campuses. Students can seek help with all aspects of college course work, especially in the areas of math, science, English, reading and study skills.

Where can students go for help with their coursework?

Students are encouraged to meet with their instructors during office hours and to form study groups with classmates. DMACC students also have free access to the Academic Achievement Center and tutoring services, which are available on all six campuses. Academic Achievement Centers are staffed with instructors who help with a wide range of college course work, especially in the areas of math, science, English, reading and study skills. Trained peer tutors provide scheduled one-on-one sessions in most subject areas. From home, DMACC students may use SMARTHINKING, an on-line tutoring service in subject areas including math, writing, science, Spanish, and business.