The Consortium of Colleges on the Creative Coast (C4) welcomes more than 13,000 students from 46 states and 57 countries for the Fall semester. About 2,500 students in Manatee and Sarasota counties are in college for the first time and nearly 1,000 of those are transfer students.
The higher-education community in Manatee-Sarasota, including New College of Florida, Ringling College of Art and Design, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee and The Ringling/FSU along with Eckerd College in St. Petersburg offer a wide array of educational opportunities to launch students on their future paths, whether for further studies or meaningful careers. Together they continue to build a destination for academic and professional opportunities.