Save Money on Tuition
Attending community college before completing your bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution can save you a sizable chunk of change. Tuition and fees at public community colleges average less than half of those at public four-year colleges and about one-tenth of those at private four-year colleges, according to the American Association of Community Colleges. “I think my student loan was at least half of what I would have paid otherwise,” O’Brien says.
Save Money by Living at Home
Room and board make up a significant percentage of college costs at four-year colleges. “Living at home also saved me a lot of money on living expenses … that was an added benefit financially,” says O’Brien.
Transferring won’t
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Smaller Classes
The class size is surprising to most students because the tuition is so reasonable. While classes aren't as small as those of a leading private university, many have as few as twenty students. In a smaller class, professors have the opportunity to learn more about their students. Likewise, students will find their teachers more accessible and can get assistance when they need it.
Qualified Professors
Everybody starts somewhere. Some of your professors will be fresh out of a master's program, but many will be well-seasoned academics who carry an impressive resume. Community schools are just as flexible for the students as for the professors. Many accomplished instructors teach part-time at community schools to allow plenty of time to focus on their own pursuits and career goals. In fact, when I attended junior college I ran into one of the professors from the private university I had previously attended, and she was teaching a night class—case in point!
Transitional
Countless numbers of college freshman transfer out after their first year of studies. Many return, some don't. Unfortunately, many of these students felt displaced and found that their expectations were not met by the university they attended. Attending community school gives students the opportunity to earn college credit while taking the time to select the 4-year institution that is right for them. Because there is little financial investment, most students
Students that choose to go to college are going “for a variety of good reasons, such as low cost, location, emphasis on teaching, and flexible class schedules” (page 330). Most students that attend four year universities are straight out of high school and living off of their mommy and daddy’s money and seem to have no bigger responsibility than barely getting stuff done to get by and to graduate. We, as older students, choose to go to a community college because we know that the teachers are more willing to help and we know that we have a better chance of graduating because of the above listed reasons. The amount of help we can get from our teachers is very crucial in passing classes and graduating.
While they do have a tremendous focus on workforce development and training, the opportunity to take a more active role in higher education exists. By adjusting their focus to act as a bridge for students, the community college has the ability to soften the transition financially and educationally. Community colleges must move beyond their reliance on open acceptance policies and actively pursue students who would otherwise attend universities. By offering comparable course tracks that will challenge and educate they can move even further past the image of being a second class institution. More focus must be placed on both building articulation agreements with the universities and educating potential students about the benefits of making the community the next stop on their education
Many students who may not have the best grades or have the top act score can find it hard to get into many of the schools they dreamt about going to but starting out at the community college level allows you to get your foot in the door with school , and allows you to become a stronger student. “That is the understanding- that you will grow a little bit with your first English Class, a bit more with your first psychology class, a whole lot more with your first biology class, physic, and chemistry.” While attending the local community college grow as a student and a learner so when the times come to transfer a stronger student is entering that
One educational opportunity that I never would have thought would even have been an opportunity was my decision to go to community college. While I used to feel as though I had to prove myself by going to a 4-year university right away, at College of the Canyons, I have actually learned more about myself and my academic ethics. I used to feel that community college was a barrier, separating me from my university dreams. However, without my community college journey, my academic passions and endeavors might not have been the same. I have used this time to learn how to be more assertive as well as more willing to problem solve and think out of the box. Since my goals were not handed to me on a silver platter, the community college process has
Some of you go to college go to play a sport for that college, in which case you would go to a University. At the time of graduation you are usually around 17 to 19, at this point in your life you have to think if you are ready to move out of your parents house and be on your own, and many do, again you would choose a University. There are some of you who want to stay under mom and dad’s roof and just want to go to college to see what living by yourself is like, to see if you will like it. In this case you would choose a Community college. For some this can be one of the harder decisions to make. Another difference of a University and Community college is the size. Not just the size of the campus, but the size of the classes and workload that you will be facing. With a University you have a large campus with numerous class buildings and dorms. At a Community college you will usually have only one building and all that this building contains is classrooms for learning. Sizes of most University classes are over 30 of you to a class; sometimes that number can be as high as 100 students to a class. When you are a student at a Community college you are usually one out of twenty. The most you will probably find in a classroom of a Community college will be around thirty.
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
This is not the only way that you can save by going to a community college. Chances are a larger university is not near your home. A school closer to home allows you to stay home and cut your bills another way by eliminating room and board fees and transportation expenses. Driving across town and maintaining your sometimes drastically lower living expenses sounds much better than the usurious bill many find themselves incurring at a larger school miles away from home.
Choosing a college means going to a new, unfamiliar world of immense possibilities. One of the hardest decisions a high school graduate face is the choice between attending a Community College or a University. Although Universities and Community College serve the same purpose, each has its differences and similarities in their learning such as the admission requirements, expenses, size, and student life. Community College are the most common type of two-year College that prepares you to continue your education, are often an affordable and convenient option. Universities you can earn Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees which is more expensive. At a University, you can
Attending a community college has several benefits such as the low tuition and book fees, smaller classes, and experienced teachers at an affordable cost. In this two year period students also have the time to mature and get serious about their career before they get into the four year institution
Community colleges in the United States develop rapidly and have become a vital component of the postsecondary education delivery system. As of 2011-2012 school year, 45% of all undergraduate students were enrolled in public two-year colleges, approximately 8.3 million students (Knapp et al., 2012. Cited by AACC Fast Facts). And it seems that with globalization and Obama’s education agenda, the trend of growing enrollment in community colleges won’t change. A high school graduate who decides to pursue postsecondary education may face with a dilemma--whether enroll in a community college or a traditional four-year college. Even within a community college, a student may be faced with a choice—enroll in a vocational program and enter workforce after graduation with a vocational certification, or choose an academic program with an intention of transferring to four-year institutions.
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.
Community college classes focus on putting knowledge into practice. A community college usually has intimate learning environments which would help students. Teachers at these colleges usually are able to connect with students because of the smaller classes. It is so important to have small classes, as it helps the students adjust from high school into college and also gives them the opportunity to connect with the teachers. A community college can be easier to get accepted into, and it also gives one the opportunity to raise their GPA while attending. Community colleges cost a fraction of what a
Deciding whether to attend a community college or university can be a difficult decision for students especially high school seniors and fresh high school graduates. After graduating from high school, the next step in the academic journey is to attend a college or a university. Before I got into college, I wanted to attend a university. I never considered attending a community college because I considered it irrelevant and less rewarding than a university. Now I have a different view about community colleges and I can clearly point out the major difference between a community college and a university. A community college is a two year college which offers two or three year courses and award associate degrees and certificates. Most community colleges are linked with certain universities which makes it easier for students to transfer. My decision to attend a community was strongly influenced by Cost, easy transition to university, and the need to balance school, work, and social life.
Do you ever think that community college is similar to high school? Do you feel community college is easier than high school? Does it seems to you that it won’t be any rules to adhere to? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you will be in a big trouble. Students used to come to a community college after they finished their high school without knowing anything about college’s life; it has rules and regulations that should be looking for before starting it. Also, there are lots of things that students don’t know about them in the community college; especially in their first year.
Choosing the best route can be hard to do especially just three months after graduating from high school. Students have many options that they can choose from and sometimes decide on an option that doesn’t offer the best of benefits for them. A lot of times, the student is tired of school and does not want to commit to another 4 years of education for multiple reasons. Even the students that do go on and further their education after high school, do not get enough training or experience at the time for the jobs they may want down the road and may wish to go back and get more of the training they do need when that time comes. Community Colleges can provide students with an affordable, 21st century education focused on entering the workforce.