Community college graduates can transfer to one of the state's four-year universities.
Fort Walton Beach is in the Florida Panhandle, about 45 minutes east of Pensacola and 30 minutes west of Panama City. Known as a vacation area, Fort Walton Beach is home to one regional community college campus, and within easy access of two others. All three offer associate's degrees, which provide students with a smooth transition to the University of Florida, Florida State University and the other four-year schools in the state.
Gulf Coast Community College
Gulf Coast Community College has four campuses, with the main one in Panama City. More than 7,000 students a semester attend the school, as of February 2010. The school offers associate's degree programs in a variety of areas, including business, applied sciences and technology. Gulf Coast also has online courses on its e-campus. Financial aid is available, along with veterans affairs educational benefits.
Gulf Coast Community College
5230 W. Highway 98
Panama City, FL 32401
850-769-1551
gulfcoast.edu
Northwest Florida State College
Northwest Florida State College's main campus is in Niceville, but the school has a center in Fort Walton Beach, with academic programs, computer and science labs, and a library. The Fort Walton Beach campus also provides corporate training programs. Associate's degree programs include humanities, communications and mathematics. The A.A. is fully transferable and guarantees admission to at least one of the 11 state universities. Northwest Florida State also offers bachelor's degrees in nursing and elementary education.
Northwest Florida State College
100 College Blvd.
Niceville, FL 32578
850-678-5111
nwfsc.edu
Pensacola Junior College
Pensacola Junior College serves students in northwest Florida and southern Alabama. The school, which had about 27,000 students in 2007-08, has more than 100 majors and areas of concentration, and offers associate's degrees in disciplines such as English, information technology, mathematics, health sciences, nursing, paralegal studies and visual arts. The school also has athletics teams that compete in the Panhandle Conference.
Pensacola Junior College
1000 College Blvd.
Pensacola, FL 32504
850-484-1000
pjc.edu
Tags: Florida State, Fort Walton, Fort Walton Beach, Walton Beach, Gulf Coast
