Skip to main content

Lipscomb, Nashville State partner on dual admission program

Kim Chaudoin | 

Lipscomb University and Nashville State Community College (NSCC) are partnering to offer a dual admission program that helps give community college students a lower-cost option for completing a four-year degree. Lipscomb is the only private college in Tennessee making this available to community college students.

Burton ExteriorNashville State students can now apply for joint admission to both institutions. If admitted, individuals are students at both institutions at the same time, completing an associates degree at  Nashville State and then transferring to Lipscomb with the right credits and without the need to apply for admission. To complete their education

“This initiative supports the emphasis placed on increasing community college completion rates by the state of Tennessee and President Obama,” said Aaron Burtch, director of transfer recruiting at Lipscomb. “With the student being enrolled in both places, it allows us to monitor the student’s academic progress together to help ensure they are on track to continue their education after they complete their associates degree at Nashville State. We are making a concerted effort to make the transition as smooth as possible for the student.”

The program helps provide a pathway for students who want to complete a bachelor’s degree and gives Lipscomb and NSCC officials the opportunity to provide guidance about issues such as how to maintain a good grade point average (GPA) and stay on track for possible scholarships

“The program gives community college students something to look forward to once they complete their associates degree. With this partnership they can move on to work on a bachelor’s degree and not have to worry about credits transferring and other issues like that. This gives them a peace of mind and a sense of accomplishment and hope. It gives them more education options and helps them know that a private school education is attainable,” said Aleece Bell, NSCC Title III student support specialist.

Lipscomb is one of only three universities in the state, including Tennessee State University and Middle Tennessee State University — and the only private institution — to offer a dual admission program for community college students. Burtch said the university is working on similar agreements with all 13 Tennessee Board of Regents community colleges.

Students who a part of the dual admission program chose from the majors offered and have an academic plan to make sure they are taking the courses that will keep students on track to complete their degree, said Burtch.

Lipscomb began taking applications this fall. To date, two students have been admitted as part of the program. The NSCC students will be on the Lipscomb campus beginning in fall 2013.

Several scholarship opportunities are available for community college students. Among these are the Transfer Trustees Scholarship, which provides two full tuition scholarships for NSCC graduates; the Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, a $10,000 scholarship for students who are members of this organization who have completed the associates degree and maintain a 3.5 GPA??.; and the Community College Deans Scholarship, for students who have a 3.5. g.p.a. and 30 or more transferrable hours.

In addition, Lipscomb is also part of the Tennessee Transfer Pathways Program announced today by the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA). The program is for students who follow the pathways developed by the state for Tennessee community college graduates to transfer to four-year universities for the state.

For more information about the dual admission program, contact Burtch at aaron.burtch@lipscomb.edu or 615.966.6135.