A little well known fact about me is that before attending the University I am currently at I started my post secondary education with a 3 year stint at a community college. I know that everybody around you tries to push you to attend a prestigious school or a reputable university in the area. People often over look the benefits of attending a community college. After reflecting about my experiences at a community college and speaking with other twenty somethings that followed the same path as me, I came up with a few solid benefits of why a young person should attend a community college:
A Community College is way LESS expensive than any other major University/College
Your parents (or whoever is covering your tuition fees) will be extremely happy to find out how much less expensive a community college is. Obviously the credentials are not the same but every industry is different. When it comes to Photography, Culinary Arts or Digital Arts to name a few, it all depends on your skill level and not the piece of paper you have. When it comes to your education it is important to you explore all options and if you find that a community college will fit your needs and your budget then by all means pursue this excellent opportunity.
An opportunity to figure out what you want to do with your life
There is less money at stake and you have more options in terms of course offerings because some programs really allow you to deviate from your major. Instead of taking 5 business courses a semester you can squeeze in a course or two from another program/major. Community College programs are often shorter in duration so even if you complete a two year program straight out of high school you will still have ample time to gain experience in the work force or to go back for more schooling.
Community Colleges offer small classes
Some of my classes contained less than 30 students. The funny thing is that’s less students in a class room then in my high school. What’s so special about smaller classes you may ask? You will never know until you are in one. Some of my community college courses allowed me to have one on one discussion with the professor during the class and at least 75% of my professors knew me by my first name. At the university I attend now I am student number 0505xxxxx and the rare professor recognizes me outside of the classroom.
A Community College will ease your transition into a major University
When I completed high school I wasn’t ready for anything. I had no clue what I wanted to do with the rest of my life nor was I serious about my studies. To make things even worse I completed high school when I was only 17 years old, which isn’t exactly the time in your life where you’re the most mature. I was realistic in the sense that even though I got into a university of my choice I figured I wasn’t ready for it. The first year of college I was still pretty iffy about things but by the final year I knew that I was serious enough to continue my studies at a more challenging level.
As most of you may have expected, tomorrow I will list some of the setbacks of attending a community college. I love to look at both sides of the coin when it comes to any argument so please share your thoughts with me!
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I did a circuitous route went to University of Washington for a year, started the next year and 2 weeks in just couldn’t deal with the enormous environment, pulled out for that quarter then started the next quarter at Community College. Best choice I could have made for me, I was getting lost (in many ways) at the UW. I blasted through Community College with some renewed vigor and then transferred up to WWU. Community college is a great start for saving a ton of money, for actually learning something and not spending 2 years of your college career being weeded out of whatever program you are looking into.
If I had it to do over again I would go to a community college for as long as I could before attending a university.
All 4 points are solid. I have been through the wringer of a full university experience and in hindsight wish I would’ve taken this route (CC first).
Take heed to this article high schoolers!
Some interesting views on community college. I had many of the same advantages by attending a fairly small college and choosing a small major (I was the only graduate in biochemistry). As a result, I was frequently in classes with half a dozen or fewer students, and one good scholarship enabled me to attend tuition free. Still, had I not gotten such a good deal right out of high school, I’m sure that community college would have been advantageous.
Good points about community colleges. I know that having a degree from a university is a punch on your ticket that people recognize, so it’s important you get there, and if a community college is a stepping stone, then all the better.
Except for a few specialized areas, most of what you learn about the business world is found in the business world, not in school, so getting yourself through college and out into the business world is an important focus. If a community college helps you do that, all the better.
Also, an important point that many prospective employers note is working your way through school. This shows initiative, determination, focus and a can-do attitude. If you have to do this in order to get a higher education that you can afford, then by all means make use of a community college.
Clair
Good post and nice design, is this a regular template?.
I am glad you pointed out all the good things about community college. Some people look down on people who attend them as not good enough to get into a university first. I was a good high school student with a 3.4 GPA , I received an Advanced Studies Diploma and even took college courses and AP classes while in high school. I chose community college because I was advised it is the best transition and so much financially smarter if you do not have scholarship to a university. It is probably because I wasn’t excited about living on a campus because that’s just not for me. I will be transfering to University for my Bachelor’s degree and they offer a Masters Degree in teaching which is what I going for. Thanks for promoting community college it is a great place to start and it does not mean you are not smart enough for a university like I have heard a lot.