Community College: A Wiser Decision Essay

Attending college is costly; however, it is often worth the price. That being said, going into college after high school instead of the working world does provide an opportunity cost. By attending a four-year private institution, such as Franklin College, $40,405 is needed to cover the expenses of tuition, room and board, books, and transportation. Over the course of four years, that total sums up to $161,620. While this figure is without scholarship, grant, or financial aid money accounted for, attending college will still lead to a deficit even if college is completely covered by aid. This is due to the fact that income potential is quite limited while attending college; full-time employment combined with full-time schooling is impractical.

This article provides an insightful view into the perceived and real status of community colleges in relation to their university counterparts. Once thought of as a place merely for underachievers to attend for workforce training, Trowbridge points out these institutions now have more to offer. They provide an affordable opportunity for students to complete the same courses that are available at the university for a fraction of the cost. Noting the financial savings in comparison to the traditional university, along with the overall quality of instruction, local community colleges have become a viable alternative for those seeking a college education without the incurring unnecessary amounts of debt.

    In discussions of Charles Murray, he expresses his opinion on the thoughts and feelings that are being transferred to students before college, claiming them to be misleading. Murray brings to light the problem that exists in the constant pushing of guidance counselors, teachers, and even politicians to aspire for a college degree no matter what, “treating every failure to go to college as an injustice” (Murray 48). Yet, by doing so, parents and students are often blindsided by the overwhelming cost of college that many cannot afford, or the sheer amount of education students would put themselves through for no reason at all. Murray observes that “one aspect of this phenomenon has been labeled misaligned ambitions, meaning that adolescents have career ambitions that are inconsistent with their educational plans” (Murray 48). Convincing students that college is the only guiding light to a better life forces students to see college as such, an intellectual heaven where they can become anything, such as a doctor or an attorney “without understanding the educational hurdles they must surmount to achieve their goal” (Murray 48-49). They then attend a four-year university with the depiction of college as a “place where B.A.s are handed out” fresh in their minds, thoughtless as to if that particular college they are attending even has the educational requirements needed to complete their career goals (Murray 49). Unfortunately, as Murray reminds us, this is the system that  is in place. For “a brutal fact

Going directly to college after high school can be completely beneficial to one’s life. It is what the government encourages while in high school and can easily be accomplished. By attending college at a young age you can live the infamous college life that so many adults speak of as “the best four years of my life”. These four years can be achieved and should be enjoyed. As a young student, one can have the stamina to attend class with hours on end. As a current college student, I see many adults coming back to college because they have been part of the group that has tried to succeed while only having a high school diploma. The truth of the matter is those high school students that realize that a four-year degree in college can secure a place in life that is acceptable for them will be the ones to succeed; furthermore, these students are the future of America.

In his Essay “Are too many people going to college,” first published in a 2008 issue of AEI, Charles Murray explores many insights onto the topic of furthering education as well as exploring various other options to pursue after high school. Who exactly would think that too many people are going to college? Well with more and more students flooding campuses at the end of every school year and less and less going into trade schools, a shift in the job market is just beginning to be seen on the horizon. Charles Murray’s essay “Are too many people going to college” shows that not only are there other avenues to pursue a potential life long career, but that much of the time pursuing these avenues may offer better results for some wanting to go to college.

For some students, the question of what to do after high school may be a burden to even contemplate as it approaches quicker and quicker. The pressure to continue another four (or more) years of education after high school can be overwhelming considering twelve years of schooling has already been completed; why go right back to school again? When’s break time? Some people are simply just not ready for college and they know it, or at least until after they have had a long break or have had some time to recollect themselves. Technically speaking college isn’t for everyone, nor is it necessarily needed for a career. Luckily today, there are many other options that potential career seeking beings can get a head start on such as community colleges and trade/vocational schools. These alternatives to a four year college are considered to be a good start on a job (and maybe even a career). The best benefits of these alternatives involve the cost of attending, the student environment, and the degrees offered.

Compared to a four year University price is a major difference with a two year, Community College price. For many people, money is the main reason for not going to a four year University. People do not want to go into debt, and have to keep paying tuition all there life. Which is great way to start off your college years. Especially, if you plan on going to college for years, for a major! Most students usually choose a Community College to save on money. For instance, private universities are much more expensive. In fact, in an article by NCES( National Center for Education Statistics) shows, "... between 2003–04 and 2013–14, prices for undergraduate tuition, fees, room, and board at public institutions rose 34 percent, and prices at private nonprofit institutions rose 25 percent, after adjustment for inflation." At a public university, cost could be up to $8,000. Now a private university, is most likely twice the tuition at a public school. If you add on other living expenses, the overall cost, could average up to over $20,000. Now, if you add books and food to that cost that could add up even more money around $5,000 or more. At a private university, you could be paying over $45-60,000. At a community college

Unlike community college, universities have a campus that extends over a very large area with many secondary buildings that have consists of classes. In respect to that, they also offer on-campus housing and dorms, which might be rare in the case of community colleges. Due to this reason most foreign students tend to enroll at four-year colleges. From dorm-living and hanging out on the quad, to school spirit and homecoming celebrations, four-year colleges give you the camaraderie of being in a university setting and a traditional collegiate experience that you just won’t find at a community college.

Today, many people seek higher education for a better advantage in finding a job and getting a better life. Even though many people think going to a four year college directly from high school is a good idea; they are wrong. Starting out at a two year community college is more affordable. Also, it helps people explore careers and prepare people to do better in four years college later down the road.

Community college is a great institution for students to start their educational journey. Especially when they do not have the funds or lack some of the prerequisite that a university would require. Community college was created to serve the community, traditional and non-traditional students with the best higher education and lifetime learning opportunities. The faculty and staff members at a community college is there to provide leadership in education while going above and beyond to recognize the needs of the students and the community by providing excellent educational programs and support services that are available to all who have the opportunity to take advantage of them. “Student services now include recruitment and retention, counseling, student activities, student health, financial aid, academic support, career centers, transfer centers, and supplemental services such as transportation, child care, and services tailored for specific populations of students” (Cohen, Brawer, & Krisker, 2014, pg. 209). My philosophy in fulfilling the role and mission of the community college, is to establish the mission, vision, goals and values to guide all students on their journey to strive to become successful both in school and in today’s economy.

After twelve years of school, where will you go next? Many of you have developed the ambition to prolong your education and attend college. Today, there are many more options than there were in the past. One does not have to graduate high school and go straight to a four year university. It is sometimes better for a student to go to a community college and focus on transfer courses or simply get an Associate’s Degree. On the other hand, there are young adults that prefer to leap straight into a university and focus on the specific program for their Bachelor’s Degree.

Today, many students are settling for jobs immediately out of high school instead of furthering their education in college. Students should consider how necessary college actually is for their lives in the future. It provides one with a significant amount of opportunities, a greater knowledge about their career plan, and a better sense of responsibility.

Thousands of students take the SAT examination every year. It is a requirement for colleges worldwide and is a primary factor in college acceptances, making high scores very desirable and valuable. Many prestigious colleges are very difficult to get into and will not consider students unless they score well on the SAT. This puts a lot of pressure on students who hope to attend such schools. Many go to great lengths in order to give themselves an advantage. Unfortunately for middle and lower class students, those measures generally cost a considerable

The SAT is a standardized test widely used for college and university admissions in the United States. It was first introduced in 1926, and its name and scoring system have changed several times throughout the years. Many students around the world that want to pursue post-secondary institutions in the US make it a point to write the SAT at least once in their high school career to better their chances of getting a higher score. This test has three parts to it – one reading, writing and one math. In order to achieve the best score that they can possibly get and be placed in the highest possible percentile, students may decide to attend SAT preparation classes starting from the early years of High/Middle School. The unfortunate reality of these extra preparation courses is that they are quite expensive, and due to this, they mostly cater towards to higher or higher-middle class families. Courses that provide extra preparation such as Ivy Global are not very affordable to many families and so students. According to many statistics and news reports, the higher the test taker’s family income, the higher their scores in the test. This has been a topic of great controversy as we have grown in the modern society

Competition for having a career becomes very stressful and exhausting. Long hours of studying, restless nights are all attributes of what a college student goes through. With California alone, there is an unemployment rate of 8.9% as of August 2013. Fear just forms within a student’s mind when they think about what their future may consist of. Questions run through their mind of whether or not they will ever be in that unemployment rate or will a career lead them to never landing in that percentage. People are like “ants carrying the leaves or stuff found along the way towards their central home.” (Anderson and Figueroa) Ants have a direct purpose. Students are very similar where they are buying books to study or carrying that notebook