A Community College, as the name implies, is totally, inexorably and intricately linked to the local community. It supplies a two-year higher education to students from the local community, it enrols students only from the local community, and it is funded by the local community via property taxes. Graduating students are honoured with diplomas, certificates and Associates’ degrees (Wikipedia.com, 2007).
The first advantage of Community Colleges is that it is cost-effective. The total fees involved are around half the fees of the first two years in traditional four-year colleges, thereby making it very economical for students to complete the two-year course before going on to enrol in a four-year college for the rest of their education (Morse, 2007). Many Community Colleges also provide and accept educational grants and scholarships. In addition, local students do not need expensive relocation to a dorm or apartment, but can get higher education for two years while residing in their local community. Some Community Colleges even join up with local business entities to provide customized training aimed at the local community environment and requirements (Wikipedia.com, 2007). Community College is also economically beneficial for students who change their major subject or drop out of college. Research has found that an astounding 75% of college students in the U.S. change their major; such a change is more cost-saving in a Community College as compared to a traditional college. Likewise, students dropping out of Community Colleges save more than those students who drop of out traditional colleges (Morse, 2007).
The second advantage is the Community College’s close proximity to home. Most high school students find it mentally and emotionally difficult to suddenly leave their homes, families and friends to relocate at a college in a strange and unfriendly location far away. Community Colleges allow students to gradually accept and get used to the concept of college while living in a familiar and stress-free environment, preparing them to handle the pressures of a big college after a trial period of two years (American Education Services, 2003).
The third advantage is the lenient ‘Open Admission’ system followed by Community Colleges that makes the prospect of admission very high or even guaranteed (Morse, 2007). This policy makes it beneficial for students who are burdened with disadvantages like a below-average academic high school achievement, voluntary school dropout/expellee (subject to passing the General Educational Development test), not having taken a standardized test for college admission (SAT and/or ACT), or possessing learning disabilities (Wikipedia.com, 2007).
The fourth advantage is that Community Colleges do not place a time restriction on the number of classes attended or when a course must be completed, unlike traditional four-year colleges which place such time restrictions to deter ‘professional students’ from occupying limited seats. Community College students hampered by constraints such as having a job or having to look after family siblings do not endure the stress of struggling to earn a degree within a specific timeframe (Wikipedia.com, 2007).
The fifth advantage is that students who graduate from Community Colleges find it easy to secure admission into four-year colleges as the latter recognizes their state of preparedness by the former. Many states in the U.S. have made it mandatory for an Associates’ degree from a Community College to be automatically credited towards the main curriculum for a four-year degree course at another state or private institution (Wikipedia.com, 2007). Some Community Colleges have more effort-intensive curriculum than traditional colleges to ensure that their students are well trained and ready to join those colleges after graduation (Morse, 2007).
The sixth advantage is the low student-to-teacher ratio. Students of Community Colleges benefit by getting individualized attention and better support from their professors because classes are less crowded. Community College classes usually have 30 students (American Education Services, 2003) as compared to traditional colleges where around 300 students are taught by a teaching assistant while the professor devotes attention to academic research. Community College professors (who possess a Masters or Doctoral Degree yet prefer to teach in these colleges due to the small classes and attractive learning environment ), are able to interact more attentively and thoroughly with students (Wikipedia.com, 2007).
The seventh advantage is encouragement to athletes. Many Community Colleges have athletic programs in their curriculum, thereby serving as breeding grounds for athletes especially in baseball and basketball. This benefits students of exceptional athletic abilities who are unable to qualify according to a four-year college program’s athletic or academic required levels (Wikipedia.com, 2007).
The last advantage is that Community College students are better placed to decide on their careers. The two-year course affords them the opportunity to peruse many fields of study and choose a degree path to either enter directly into the workforce, or enter a four-year college and then into the workforce (American Education Services, 2003).
References
- Anon. (2007). Community College.
- Anon. (2003). Two-year School Benefits.
- Morse, J. (2007). The Benefits of Attending Community College. Web.