A scenic two-year community college in western Maryland offering transfer and career programs with small class sizes.
Garrett College offers four associate degree types: Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Arts in Teaching (AAT), Associate of Science (AS), and Associate in Applied Science (AAS). The college provides 16 programs of study with 12 concentrations, plus eight non-degree transfer options and three certificate programs. Signature programs leverage the college's scenic location, including Outdoor Leadership & Adventure Education and Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology. Additional offerings span business, computer science, cybersecurity, engineering transfer, education, health sciences, and more. The college is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and overseen by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
The 62-acre main campus in McHenry sits in scenic western Maryland, approximately two hours from Pittsburgh and three hours from Washington, DC. Garrett is one of two Maryland community colleges offering on-campus residence halls. The campus features the Community Aquatic and Recreation Complex (CARC), a 42,500-square-foot facility completed in 2012 with a gymnasium, six-lane competition pool, fitness center, and therapy facilities. A state-of-the-art STEM building opened in 2018, and the Performing Arts Center (PAC) opened in summer 2022. The college also operates three outreach centers in Accident, Grantsville, and Oakland.
Admission to Garrett College is straightforward and takes less than ten minutes to apply. High school GPA is used to assess academic abilities and determine math and English course placement. Applicants with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale may enroll in gateway college-level courses immediately. Those with GPAs between 1.5 and 2.49 are required to take prescribed co-requisite remedial courses. A minimum high school GPA of 2.0 is required for on-campus housing eligibility. New students, transfer students, and returning students must attend a New Student Advising appointment to complete enrollment, which includes placement testing, course selection, and registration assistance.
Garrett College competes in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) at Division II level and the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference (MD JUCO). The college fields eight varsity sports: men's baseball, basketball, soccer, and wrestling; women's basketball, soccer, softball, and volleyball. The college maintains seamless transfer agreements with regional institutions, offering students opportunities to receive academic transfer scholarships to continue at four-year colleges and universities. Career services and transfer services support student pathways to employment and further education.