Whether you are a local to the Bremerton Washington area or are visiting from somewhere else, Olympic College is a great place to tour, attend, or visit.
About Olympic College
Olympic College is a two-year community college located in Bremerton Washington, with two other locations as well. The school was founded in 1946 and has a student population of more than 13,000 students per year.
Those attending Olympic College can earn either a certificate or an associates degree, or can complete the first 2 years of a Bachelor’s degree program. Whatever your specific degree or study, all students are welcome to take a variety of courses to improve job skills and personal enrichment.
The Bremerton campus of Olympic College is the main campus and is the largest of the three, sitting on 33 acres with buildings and nice landscaping.
Being a community college, the acceptance rate is 100 percent, making it possible for anyone looking to further their education to have the opportunity to do so.
Olympic College’s Mission and Values
Olympic College has a mission to enrich the diverse communities that attend through quality education. The college also states their desire to support the students and enable them to achieve their goals.
When it comes to the Bremerton college’s values, there are a few key points outlined on the Olympic College website. Here is a brief list of those values:
- A commitment to life-long learning
- Practicing civil constructive discourse
- Respecting diversity
- Dedication to public service
These values guide the school in the decisions the administration makes.
Student Demographics
People love to learn demographics when it pertains to them: for instance, a student at a college would most likely be interested to know the student demographics at the school they are attending. Below are some of the student demographics of Olympic College as of 2019-2020:
- The annual headcount was 10,452
- The student population was 54% female, 45% male
- 34% of students were students of color
- The age breakdown of all students was as follows: 33% of students were ages 20 and under, 38% were ages 20-29, 17% were ages 30-39, and 12% of students were 40+ years old.
- 55% of students attended full-time, while the other 45% are part-time students
History of Olympic College
Olympic College opened its first location in Bremerton as Olympic Junior College in September of 1946. Since then, the college has grown in size, expanded to more locations, and achieved many awards. Through all of this, Olympic College has remained a community college.
In 2003 the second location opened in Shelton and in 2004 the third location opened in Poulsbo. These other smaller campuses offer a limited variety of classes.
Olympic College has been given multiple awards, including being one of ten finalists for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence in 2015. This is a national recognition for high achieving community colleges.
While in Bremerton
Whether you are visiting or living in the area, make sure to check out the Puget Sound Shipyard, specifically the USS Turner Joy. Additionally, if you have the time, make sure to explore the Illahee Preserve, a large nature area just north of Bremerton.
Photo Credit: Photo by Bremerton WA Real Estate @ https://flic.kr/p/4VU6Gz
