One may assume that the life of a college student at a four- year university is no different than that of a college student at a community college (two-year college). Although the purpose of a university of college is to provide one basic thing; which is a formal education, a University and a community college are completely different in so many aspects. Three ways in which a University may differ from a community college is housing options available to students, student performance and means of transportation to get to school. First and foremost, Students at a four-year university have a variety of choices to select from when it comes to where to stay. At a university, students may choose to live in, on campus housings such as dormitory’s, on campus and off campus apartments offered by the University, at home with their parents or rent a house with their fellow schoolmates. These housing options give students the option to explore their environment and learn more about themselves. Not only do students learn to live with other people, but they also learn to become independent and responsible since there are no parents around to guide them through whatever they do. Also, students build relationships that may last a lifetime. However, a student who attends a community college usually lives at home with his or her parents and since most community colleges do not offer housing options for their students, the students would have to find a place to live on their own if
This paper will first give a brief introduction on community college in the United States—its past and present. Then it will examine four main purposes for students attending a community college today. In the next part, an economic comparison between community college and four-year university will be given with a focus on two specific programs. At last, implication and conclusion will be presented.
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.
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
In United States, there are generally two types of post-secondary institutions; two-year colleges which are commonly known as community colleges and four-year colleges which are generally referred to as higher universities. Although they all play important roles in educating students and helping people get their start in career life, it may be helpful to keep their basic differences in mind before one apply to either of them.
Benefits of attending a community college as opposed to a traditional university tend to be overlooked by potential students. They are either unaware of its advantages or do not fully understand how this type of education can benefit their cause. Year after year large amounts of students choose to go straight from high school and in to four-year universities. The problem with this particular situations is that universities in general tend to have 50-400 students in one
In order to find a good job and have a good life in the future, many high school students plan to continue acquiring a higher education degree in the college. Michael is a senior high school student. He is going to graduate from his high school soon. His friends think about attending four-year universities directly after graduating from the high school and he does not want to be left behind them. However, Michael’s parents realize that there is not quite enough money in the saving account to support him if he chooses to attend to the university directly after graduating from high school. All the money that his parents have been saving for many years will pay for the tuition, which means his family will be difficult to maintain the normal livelihood. In addition, his parents also learn that Michael’s high school academic performance is not good, so they worry about that whether he will be able to handle college-level circumstances or not. So, his mother goes to school and asks help from the counselor. The suggestion of the counselor is that Michael should go to the community college first and then transfer to a university. In this situation, Michael is not sure where he should go? As a friend of Michael, I advise that he should choose to go to the two-year community college after graduating from the high school and then consider to transfer to the four-year university.
Community colleges and four-year colleges differ in several ways such as; class size, cost, and social climate. A vital component to community colleges is small class sizes an advantage of a low student-to-teacher ratio.
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.
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
Since there are four guided questions to help address the main research question. There will also be some subtopics to help us better understand the reasoning toward the altered mission of community colleges. First, I will discuss about the first community college founded in American history of higher education and its mission, the influences on community college mission during the Depression era, and the intention of community college mission after the World War II era. Second, I will report what I have found about the impact on community college to alter their institution from a 2 years institution to a 4 years institution. Third, I will discuss what the organizational culture was like today compared to the twentieth century. Lastly, I will examine some of the societal factors that impact the altered mission of community colleges.
The hardest decision a student has to make during their senior year of high school is which school to attend and whether to live on campus or commute. There are both advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios. The entire college experience is a learning trip and it is oftentimes a young adults first step towards independence. Living on campus is an adjustment and is a huge eye-opener to the real world. The college dorm life is considered to be part of the "full college experience," but the costs of living in a residence hall can persuade students to remain home while they are in college in order to avoid housing fees.
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.
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.
Nearly 68% of undergraduate students choose to live on campus (Moltz, “Look Who's Living on Campus”). Many of them choose to live on campus specifically for all the resources it provides and the commute to get anywhere they need to within the campus is easier. More colleges, in fact, are expanding and opening up dorms to make living on campus simpler and more of an option, if not mandatory, for students. Before it was nearly impossible for students to stay on campus, whether it be financially, or because they were out-of-state, but now there are more scholarships to fund them, and traveling in general is much easier. College students should be required to live on campus their freshman year in order to raise their GPA, lower the risks of them dropping out, and allow them to take full advantage of their campus’ resources.
For students who are struggling with the idea of the succeeding step in their life, college, there are plenty of possibilities. The question is which option suits you best, community or university? This subject matter is occurring all over the country. It’s vital to know all the facts before making a choice since this is your path for the next few years or more of your life. Students want to consider the expenses of the school, acceptance/academics and the overall college experience for each schooling option.