Community College Challenges

I'm attending El Paso Community College to start off my education. My ambition is to be the first one in my family to be a college graduate. Gain a level of independence, there is still much for me to learn not only in school but in the real world as well. Community College will allow me to complete a degree in a giving environment well also beneficially not costing too much. Thanks to Advanced Placement and Dual credit courses, I have completed some of the requirements needed for my degree. Therefore, I wish to transfer to a bigger university so that I may have an opportunity in my majoring field. I'm not a native El Pasoen however it has become another place I call home. Although I wish to experience more of a diversity in other cities.

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

For first year students coming straight from high school, college life can either be very exciting or overwhelming depending on how well one prepares for it. Some have the notion that college is fun and is all about partying, while some believe that it is an environment in which they can achieve the ultimate freedom thus escape the stringent rules made by their parents at home. Others look forward to experiencing a different learning environment while being exposed to different cultures and sharing different academic knowledge. Successful assimilation into college life is determined by the student’s capability to transform into the new role of a college student. Numerous students face challenges they have never experienced before which can

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.

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.

to about 83 percent of high school graduates enroll in some form of postsecondary education, but only about 52 percent of students complete their degrees. Further, a very small proportion of students complete a degree in four years—“among students starting at ‘four-year’ institutions, only 34 percent finish a B.A. in four years, 64 percent within six years, and 69 percent within eight and a half years.”

The purpose of this research paper is to explore the altered missions of community colleges and related impacts on the historical mission of community colleges. The mission of community colleges were intended to serve all individuals with an equal opportunity for higher education access. In this research paper, there will be four guided questions:

According to a report from a National Center for Education Statistics, in 2013, only 59 percent of the students in the institute took 6 years to gain their bachelor’s degree. Interesting news. Currently attending a Community College now and I wanted to graduate within a four-year range. Although college will be challenging, I will be successful by listening to advice from experts, using effective strategies, and understanding the value of college discussion.

College is hard when some of us have kids, but it wouldn’t stop us from going to school. To get a college degree we must want it more than anything. We must push ourselves to the limit.

Community colleges, along with the many other schools in our society, were designed as factories to train workers (Ackoff & Greenberg, 2008). With a focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic, individuals gained skills needed to complete robotic instructions, but unfortunately, not problem-solving. This concept is still present in many of our schooling systems today including Your State Community College (YSCC). Founded in 1968, YSCC serves about 6,000 students preparing them for jobs in both academic and trade careers. Unfortunately, many of the students who enter the school need remedial courses and enrollment in these courses cause a crippling effect on the success rate of each individual student. Similar

Having my future sights at working with first generation college students, I saw the applicability of constructivist theory in the combine use of solution focused and narrative therapy in servicing such a diverse group of students. Constructivist theory as a whole is applicable with addressing diverse issues surrounding culture, gender, and social context that influence career choices that are unique to a client when compared with others. Through a recent article titled the “Use of Constructivist Approach in Higher Education: An Instructors’ Observation”, focused on the constructivist approach being used in a career counseling setting, which presented an insight into clients ' stories. The article provided some of the positive aspects of narrative therapy by express how gaining insight to a client’s stories “amplify clients ' self-awareness, and develop with clients a future orientation through action steps” (Hussain, 2012). The article showed how students were able to externalize their career-related problems and confront them through each counseling session (Hussain, 2012). Each counseling session Hussain emphasized the importance of the SFT techniques of complementing (i.e. direct, indirect, and self complementing) when introducing the narrative technique of leagues from other students as to create a positive narrative for change (p.179-184). The study also highlighted portions SFT techniques through the use of a “goal map”,

In the article "7 Steps to Success at Community College." By Joanne Jacobs she discusses the importance of the first year of college, and show 7 steps to be successful while attending community college.

The article from Data Note, Achieving the Dream “Characteristic of Credential Completers,” by author Sue Cleary, Senior Research Associate looks at how the demographic and characteristic of community college students influence on their educational accomplishment.

11.How can we balance the right for free speech with the right to not be insulted or abused?