What Is The Difference Between Community Colleges And Four Year Colleges

In the article “Two Years Are Better Than Four” author Liz Addison writes about how community college is a forgotten option for many students in America, and that it is not well advertised like the universities are. She writes about how community college is a great option for students who need a less expensive option, but still want a chance to further their education. Addison also writes about how they allow everyone to attend so you can “just begin”. Community college is a great option for many students because it allows for an affordable option for students to continue their education.

College has become a norm in today’s society so much so, that the average costs of higher education are not really discussed. A public two-year in-district college was $3,520 for a full-time undergraduate student in 2016-2017 (Baum 68). Baum also declares that a public four-year in-state undergraduate tuition was $9,650; a public four-year out-of-state college cost $24,930; a private nonprofit four-year college costs $33,480; and a for-profit college cost $16,000 for that same school year. (68). Across the nation, figures will vary because of the obvious geographical region differences, but also because of price discrimination. Price discrimination allows institutions to discount their prices for a lot of students (Baum 79). Institutions do this based on individual student circumstances, and it segments the market. Institutions

There are some students that can barely afford a community college, and community college prices are not as high as four year universities. Many people in the US wants to go to college and

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.

Students attending private universities pay an average tuition of $35,374. Those who attend a community college for the first two year of their education save $8,000 or more. Since most of the same financial aid including Pell grants and Stafford loans is available for any institution choice, students in the lowest income brackets can expect a larger financial aid refund from a community college than a university. Those who need a university education to meet their career goals may be able to attend a community college part time while they work and save up. Then, when they transfer to a university for their final two years, they may have saved enough that with financial aid, they can pursue their four-year degree.

Today, many people seek higher education for a better advantage in finding a job and getting a better life. Even though many people think going to a four year college directly from high school is a good idea; they are wrong. Starting out at a two year community college is more affordable. Also, it helps people explore careers and prepare people to do better in four years college later down the road.

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

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.

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

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.

Tuition cost plays a vital role in deciding whether to attend a community college or a four year institution. According to Susan Stafford, “Tuition for community colleges is affordable while tuition costs at public institutions are usually at least twice that of a community college” (1). The tuition cost in universities can be overwhelming and highly unaffordable, This have caused many students to graduate with s heavy loads of debt but by attending a community college, an individual can

Whether a student is looking to stay in-state or move out, the cost is still very high. According to College Board, expenses, on average, to attend a 4-year university add up to around $9,000 a year for in-state residents. Triple this amount and non-residents must pay that. Private school expenses tend to add up to around $35,000 a year (College Costs). During the 1995-1996 academic years, 66% of four year students in public institutions received some form of financial aid (Losco). Although the financial aid sounds like a good plan at the time, it causes the ones who take aid to being their adulthood in a large amount of debt. Even though there are a number of scholarships and financial aid programs available, each student must qualify and meet certain requirements that are not always met.

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.

One of the major differences between transferring and directly attending a four year college is the tuition. When deciding on a college, money is the most concerning matter for students. Majority of college graduates end up being in debt and need years to pay it off. That is especially a problem if someone directly attends a four year college and their major does not make a significant amount to pay off their debts entirely. In this case, attending community college and transferring to a four year college is more beneficial than directly attending a four year college. Although four year colleges offer countless amounts of scholarships, the price to attend a four year college is still significantly higher compared to a community college. Based off the article, “Two-Year vs. Four-Year Colleges: Which One is Right for You?” it states the price difference between the two types of college, “According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees