Mountain Empire Community College

Located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, MECC is a public, institution that offers undergraduate degrees. The college operates on a semester-based calendar system, providing students with structured academic terms.

One of the notable aspects of Mountain Empire Community College is its open admission policy. This means that all high school graduates and individuals who hold a GED qualification are eligible to apply for admission. This inclusive approach allows a wide range of students to pursue their higher education goals, regardless of their academic background.

Mountain Empire Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, ensuring that the institution meets certain standards of quality and effectiveness. This accreditation also allows students to transfer credits to other accredited institutions if they choose to continue their education elsewhere.

The student-to-faculty ratio at MECC is 19-to-1, which is slightly higher than both the state and national averages. The state average student-to-faculty ratio in Virginia is 14-to-1, while the national average is 17-to-1. A lower student-to-faculty ratio generally allows for more personalized attention and interaction between students and faculty.

While the on-time graduation rate at MECC is reported to be 44%, it is essential to consider the context of this statistic. For comparison, Virginia state's graduation rate for the 2021-2022 was 67% whereas the national average was 35%.

The student retention rate of 68% at MECC suggests that a significant percentage of students choose to continue their studies at the institution after their first-year.