American River College is offering alternative programs that allow people to transfer or gain their associate degree in two years.

The Accelerated College Education program, commonly known as ACE, and the Cohort to Transfer program were developed with the goal of helping students succeed in college.

Both programs vary slightly in design but each offer a pre-planned set of classes that students are guaranteed to be enrolled in.

Frank Kobayashi, dean of the Natomas Center, has been responsible for ACE for two years and the Cohort to Transfer for a year and a half.

“Research shows that students who are engaged in their education and their community have a higher success rate,” said Kobayashi.

Participants within either program take many classes together and have the chance to work with and learn from students of various backgrounds.

Students who go through the ACE program are enrolled in two classes for every eight-week period, which allows them to stay on track with a traditional student that enrolls in 12 units a semester.

Megen Bevens, a counselor on campus, has been the coordinator for ACE and the Cohort to Transfer since the fall of 2014.

“ACE is a way that working adults get through school like traditional students,” said Bevens. “The pace is quicker but the hours spent inside the class are the same, nothing is deleted.”

Former student Angel Green participated in the ACE program back in 2010 and described her experience as tough.

Unlike the ACE program, Cohort to Transfer is not accelerated.

“It’s all given to the student in a beautiful, little package,” said Bevens. “Students do not need to worry about classes because everything they are enrolled in is necessary for transfer.”

Students who are enrolled to the program are given the first pick at classes.

Kobayashi was in a cohort at University of California, Davis while working to obtain his Doctorate degree.

The next informational meeting for the Cohort to Transfer program will be May 15 at the Natomas Center 12:30 to 1:30 p.m