The Pros And Cons Of Community College

In high school, students have the tendency to think that community college is something that is bad. In “Confessions Of A Girl Who Was ‘Too Smart For Community College’,” Chelsea Fagan talks about how in school, she had a hard time in school with her grades and how her school showed off kids that went to college on a bulletin board. She tried everything to avoid going to a community college. Only for the reason that there was a “stigma” on how community colleges are mostly frowned upon or even laughed at (Fagan). Being rejected from many colleges she then convinced herself that she was too smart to go to a community college. Later on she reluctantly went to community college expecting it to be terrible. She quickly realized that community college was a great place to be. Later on, this gave her opening to go to other places. She closes off with her stating how community college is a great place financially and also a great place to mature. In “Confessions Of A Girl Who Was ‘Too Smart For Community College,’” Chelsea Fagan’s simple structure and casual tone make it easy for a reader to understand her main point, and I agree with her concerns on the reproach of community college, but she never really explained why community college was great other than her thoughts on it being cheaper making her argument a little weak.

Trying to achieve your dreams and reach your full potential in a town that has little to no guidance for youth, especially African American men, is a daunting task. Too often, young men from my hometown are given limited options for their future. The education system made us feel as if we were only created to work in trade career fields, or sign our lives away for four to six years to the various branches of the United States Military. College was a luxury that many, including myself, thought would never be an option.

Perhaps one of the greatest concerns that torments America’s new generation is pursuing higher education in order to make more money and while avoiding being in debt, decades after graduation. This topic has become even more as tuition continues to rise and politicians are left to ponder the best course of action to insure that the next generation of Americans is more educated than the last. One particular solution was posed by former president, Barack Obama, who promoted the idea of free community college. Although, it may not be the most direct or most elegant solution, it would certainly be a push in the right direction. By making community college tuition free nationwide, states would become more invested in accommodating the influx of students, lead different school systems to compete by lowering tuition prices, and finally address America’s shortcoming in adults who possess more than just high school diploma.

The State of Colorado provides more opportunities that offenders have access to than most other states. Upon entrance to the Colorado Department of Corrections, inmates are given a standardized test to determine their math and reading levels. If the offender does not have a high school diploma or GED they should be enrolled in Adult Basic Education classes so they can obtain their GED while incarcerated. While incarcerated, inmates have access to technical education such as HVAC training. This would usually just be a precursor to the offender being released and going and starting the program all over again at a technical or community college. The Community College System has an agreement with CDOC that allows the inmates to transfer their pre-approved credits to Pueblo Community College, which consequently can be transferred to any community college.

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.

Students nowadays face many challenges when it comes to obtaining a college education. We evaluate an institution’s quality based on what we need the most. The qualities sought out may vary by each person’s personal point of view. However, as a student, I’ve found that most students seek for an institute that benefits them the most. Attending a community college has been an enormous advantage towards my education. I have been attending San Bernardino Valley College for the last two semesters. I have come to respect their philosophies and values. The institution has now been in business for 87 years. They venture to encourage both students and faculty towards high standards of achievement and progress into exceptional members of the society. They now offer a variety of degrees, transfer programs and certificates for a wide range of students. San Bernardino Valley College has an accomplished staff, student support services and technological tools that pave the road towards the conquest of a quality education.

When I thought about my future and where I 'll be going, I thought I would be attending a university like all of my friends in high-school. I never thought I would be attending a community college. I really hated the idea of community college. I thought it was for people who had low ACT score or people who didn 't really try as hard as others in school. I always tried hard in school even when things got hard I still tried my best. I never thought it would be for me until I saw the benefits of attending a community college. I attend a two year college because I felt like I had a better opportunity to talk to my professor , also to better myself improving my knowledge by stepping out of my comfort zone.

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

Perhaps some student aren’t ready to jump into four year college right after high school. Perhaps some students don’t have enough money or funding to afford four year colleges. For those who trying start taking classes, a community college, two years colleges or vocational school might a good place to get adjusted for college or for training to enter the workforce early. Liz Addison, supporter for two-year community colleges, considers community colleges the ideal place to begin and that it is not important to make the jump into a four-year university. In her essay, “Two Years Are Better than Four,” Addison portrays the theory of the community college. She assumes “The philosophy of the community college, and I have been to two of them, is one that conditionally allows its students to begin” (256). Her assumption are based on her idea “the community college system is America’s hidden public service gem” (257). A similar idea that Charles Murray believes in. He also believes community colleges the ideal place to begin for those who are training to enter the workforce early. He states “Try to force her (for example, by setting up a demanding core curriculum), and she will transfer to another school, because she is in college for vocational training. She wants to write computer code. Start a business. Get a job in television. She uses college to take vocational courses that pertain to her career interests.”().These to supporters of two years colleges and vocational training are encouraging students looking for place to start or those who are trying to get certain skills to join the

Community college which is usually paid off by the government through grant and fee waivers for for low-income students is a way of continuing your growth after high school, although these institutions aren’t the very best type of education you can get it is a start. The type of students that usually go to community colleges are either low income and can't afford to pay for any other schools(without help from financial aid) or people who simply didn’t get the best grades in high school but still chose to continue their path of education. In the article “As He Promotes It, Some Question Obama’s Free Community College Idea.” Joanne Jacobs explains to us some of the pros and cons about having free community college. With the cons weighing out the pros, in my opinion, community college should not be free because it would take away the significance of going to college. I highly doubt that college students would want to slack off in classes that they are paying for. It works sort of as like an incentive since money isn't easily earned, so by allowing students to attend college for free would make community college more of a continuation of high school.

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.

According to Jenkins and Fink, the writers for the Community College Research Center, an average of 38% of community colleges students transfer to a 4 year college and 42% of the students complete a bachelor’s degree within the next 6 years. Going to a community college is very beneficial and affordable to children with high or low income. While I am taking Economics my teacher broke down the concepts and benefits of going to a community college versus a university. For example, going to Moraine Valley Community College is about $3,570 a year for their tuition, while the University of Illinois is around $15,686 in tution. If you go to Moraine Valley Community College for 2 years you will only be paying about $7,140 versus going to the University of Illinois for 2 years and paying $31,372 Your saving $24,232 dollars if you go to a 2 year college versus going the whole 4 years. If people are struggling financially this can be a financial advantage. Some junior colleges cost less than two-thousand dollars each semester for students who attend full time and it gives students some time to prepare for a 4 year university if they plan on taking their education further. Going to a community college helps students to set goals and aspects for their future career they want to pursue to transfer to a university. So why doesn’t Joliet West counselors promote the idea of going to a community college?

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.

In the article “The Good That Community Colleges Do, Part 1”, author Rob Jenkins discusses the benefits and values of Community College. Recent studies have shown that the value of two-year colleges were hard to predict. In fact, one report shows that the value of a two-year degree is less than that of a high school diploma, while another report shows that most students are receiving a financial return on their degree. While Rob Jenkins believes both reports have valid points and arguments, he states that “so many of the things that community colleges do for their students and communities are difficult to measure empirically” (“The Good That Community Colleges Do, Part 1”).

Approaching the end of senior year everyone was receiving acceptance letters to all well credited schools, like Rutgers, The College of New Jersey, Fordham, and many others, but there were some people, like me, who were opening letter from community colleges to attend. I quickly realized that I did not take high school seriously and was lackadaisical with my studies, causing my grades to suffer, ultimately leaving me no choice, but to go to community college. In hindsight, going to community college was not a regretful decision, and it has shaped me into the person I am now. People from all sorts of life come to community college for many different reasons, mainly similar to mine, to redeem their high school-self and get better grades.