Community College And High School

Community college is a place for all. Anyone can “pop their head in” (p 256) and will be invited with open arms to discover who they are as an individual and where they would like to go. Two-year colleges are not advertised to the parents but to the potential student

Community college is an underrated option for many students. As Americans grow society has drilled into us that we need to continue our education after high school to become stars in this world. Addison writes about how going to a university was seen as a rite of passage and was a way to find ourselves. In today society not going to a university is seen as not being good enough to make it in to anywhere better. This is why many students will attend university when it would have been more feasible to attend a community college first.

Choosing my own career path and going to community college gave me the disappointing face in my family. Being treated negatively after being rejected to ten out of twelve colleges, it discouraged my interest towards education. The negative stigma around community college affected my attitude with the, “get in, get out” mindset hoping to finish as fast as I could with passing grades.

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.

With a history of attending community college, more than one in fact, Addison thinks that a community college’s purpose is to let students embark on the rest of their lives. She makes it out to believe that community colleges are the places where “a first independent film, a first independent thought, a first independent study” happens (212). These two-year colleges are not just important because they are more affordable, but because they give students hope and even a chance to dream, Liz thinks. In the author’s opinion, community colleges are not given the appreciation and recognition that they have earned.

In her article, Magdalena Kay brings up the idea that students feel the need to go to college in order to obtain a job that makes enough money to support the lifestyle that they want (3). These students want to go to universities to earn their degree so that they can achieve their blissful little life with a gratifying job, but for students, it is not always possible to make it to a university right away as planned. Frequently universities cost too much, people are not mature enough, their grades are not satisfactory, or they need to work and do not have the time for classes; this is where community colleges come into play. They can be a great option for people who are unable to go straight to a four-year college and they allow students to get most of their general classes out of the way and help them work towards a bachelor 's degree. A majority of students transfer to a four-year college from community colleges by virtue of the benefits of it, but through the process over 50 percent of students lose some portion of their credits and this sets them back on their path to earning a degree. While transferring has copious benefits for students, there are not a multitude of options for paths between colleges to transfer.

In conclusion, community college is an open book for everyone, where students have a self-discovery when learning while being on able to afford tuition and save money. Writer’s Liz Addison and Rick Perlstein wrote an essay for “New York Times” about a topic: college. Perlstein wrote in “What’s the Matter with College?” that college doesn’t matter as it used to be while Addison fired back with benefits and a recommendation for community college on Addison’s essay, “Two Years Are Better Than Four”. Addison called out Perlstein about how Perlstein has given up on self-discovery when coming about to college as an adult. Addison reminded both audience and authors alike that community is rarely brought up in mediums such as social media. Community

The article “Why Community College is not Like High School” by Ben Faulkner surprised me, when Ben says, “your first grades in college might be lower than anything you’ve ever gotten before.” This quote surprised me because I thought that I was the only person that had his first grade in college low, however; it showed me that many other people had been through this issue like me. This article make me feel supported by being in Middlesex community college because how Ben says, “But the grade isn’t the end of the story. (No number ever is) and it certainly doesn’t mean you should stop trying.” This quote showed me that even I got a bad grade in this college, it doesn’t mean the end to the story. It means that I should take it like a lesion

The Community College system in America is an alternative form of schooling so the student can get out into the workforce quicker than a student could while attending a four-year university. Over the years, the junior college system has progressed to become more intimate within the communities they serve. Whether the student is an older person wanting to learn a new trade, or a young adult trying to figure out what their purpose is in life, the community college is a good place to start. One question some people ask is, “Will the education be the same across the board even with the drastic difference in the cost of tuition?” Many people are hesitant about the cost of a four-year university, but likewise, they are also concerned whether

The future of community colleges ultimately lies in continuing to prove its relevance. While four-year institutions are continuing to exist and an influx of for-profit and online institutions have risen; community colleges have to demonstrate that they play a significant role in society. Past years indicate that the purpose of community colleges has been difficult to understand because there have been many perceptions that have been created concerning their existence. The legitimacy of contemporary community colleges is questioned because it is difficult to make an overall assessment of their purpose (Pusser and Levin, 2009).

While in high school, I always remembered many of my friends becoming agonized by the thought of having to go to a community college. Unlike most of my companions, I decided to stay home and attend a community college as other options were not as feasible.  Whilst my time at community college, I noticed that my habits from high school were long gone but still prevalent. My study habits of procrastinating until the very last moment were becoming a vague memory. I suddenly began to learn to say “no” to friends as I had prioritize all academic obligations. Furthermore, while at community college I learned how to never judge anyone. Community college has shown me that there are many people just as ambitious as yourself and are compassionate enough

One of the author’s concerns is to inform the audience of the usefulness and purpose of community colleges, such as everyone who wants an education having the opportunity to attend no matter their circumstance. Maxwell does an adequate job of informing the readers of how convenient and populated community colleges are by stating information such as, “They enroll more students than

The topic of college is pushed on to high school students throughout all four years of high school or may have even been brought up before then for some students. Now, not only do students have to worry about getting good grades and staying active and involved but now they have to think about college also. There are so many questions that people have to ask themselves when speculating the idea of college. Is college for me? What do I want to study? One big question that stumps students is the decision to attend a community college or a university. Even though Hanks’ does a successful job of telling why he enjoyed community college, Tom Hanks’ article, “I Owe It All to Community College,” fails to prove why others would benefit from community college because of his non-existent logos, extremely weak ethos, and overuse of pathos.

In America today, higher education is definitely an essential requirement for a secure and stable life, but whether a student attends a community college or a four-year university can make a tremendous difference. Liz Addison claims in her essay, Two years are better than four, “The philosophy of the community college… is one that unconditionally allows its students to begin. Just begin” (Addison, 256). But I disagree claiming that even though it may allow the student just to “begin” a two-year community college is only adequate for a student planning to graduate with only two years. Attending a two-year college with the intent of furthering you education will actually cost the student more time in the classroom and less time out in the world, costing them more money. Luckily Liz and I both agree that college is necessary, especially in today’s world, however we come to a fork in the road upon what type of higher education is more profitable to the student.

College or no college? Community college or university? Live on campus or commute? These are the questions that plague the minds of rising college students. As a high school senior who plans to attend college, I find myself pondering these questions frequently. Finding a college that fits each individual person and their unique needs is a difficult task that takes time and patience. That being said, I believe revamping the structure of community colleges will benefit students of all ages. Remodeling the acceptance and tuition requirements, as well as ensuring more personal one-on-one time with advisors, will not only make choosing a college easier for students but it will also help improve graduation rates in college students across the globe.