Benefits of a Attending a Community College

Lower Cost

Community college or business school is less expensive than a four-year school. Per-credit tuition rates can range from $41 at a two-year school to $205 and higher at a four-year institution. On average, a four-year university or college costs four times more than a community college annually. Add on the cost of living in a dorm or an apartment, and it's easy to see how costly education can be. Attending a two-year school first allows students to save money for when they're ready to transfer to a four-year school where both tuition and living expenses increase.

Proximity to Home

Leaving home for the first time is tough. For most of us, its hard to imagine leaving a place where were surrounded with the creature comforts weve grown up with, plus the familiar faces of family and community. Its just smart to get used to the whole idea of college while living in a comfortable environment. Students can also continue to work at their jobs, which means socking more money away. Plus, studying at a two-year school allows students to see old friends on a regular basis.

College can seem intimidating after high school. Everyone who plans to go on to higher education asks themselves: Can I handle it? A two-year school is a good testing ground for students to discover if they can take on the pressures of a larger college or university. Its also a place for students to build their confidence and develop valuable study skills. Since classes are smaller, students can take advantage of the extra attention from instructors. Best of all, going to a two-year school gives students time to consider a career plan. Many students at four-year schools spend the first two years taking basic requirement courses and deciding on a major; non-traditional students can save money by doing that at a two-year school.

• Community colleges are often less crowded than public universities. Classes seldom exceed 30 students, and even in an entry-level course, students can receive individualized attention.
• A low student-to-teacher ratio leads to more personalized teaching and hands-on activities or instruction.
• Classes are conveniently held during the day, nights and weekends so those busy students can take course loads that fit their schedule.

Greater Focus on Instruction

• Full-time community college professors are not required to conduct research and publish scholarly work in order to maintain tenure as they do in four-year institutions. Therefore, their attention remains upon their students and their courses. In fact, community college faculty members spend more hours in the classroom, on average, than faculty in any other sector of higher education.
• Most community college professors have a Master's degree or greater in their field and teach at two-year schools simply because they appreciate the smaller class sizes and engaging learning environment.
• You will not find teaching assistants conducting classes at community colleges while professors are absent or attending to their own research agenda.

Many Pathways to your Goal

• Many students are unsure of a career path. A two-year school gives them the chance to look at different areas of study and gives them the chance to decide on a degree path before they enter a four-year college. All have different benefits, but depend on your needs and goals.
• There are varying two-year school path options. You may be able to go:
  1. From high school to a two-year institution into the workforce.
  2. From high school to a two-year institution to a four-year college or university into the workforce.
  3. From high school to a four-year institution to a two-year program then into the workforce.
• If you know you want to go to a four-year school eventually, but the cost is not within your budget, you can use a two-year school in conjunction with a 4-year school. The two-year school can be used to complete required classes, leaving your time at the 4-year school to solely concentrate on your major of study. The fewer classes taken at the four-year school reduces your total education cost.

Open Admissions Policies

Community colleges and many career and technical schools have an open admissions policy, which means they will accept any students with a H.S. diploma or GED. Most colleges have implemented testing to assess students' skills in mathematics, English composition, and reading, so that students who require assistance are able to take the additional classes they need to succeed in college. Some programs and courses offered by these community colleges have prerequisites for admission, so be sure to check for any eligibility requirements.

Reciprocal Agreements/Programs

Reciprocal programs offer students attending two-year colleges a greater variety of available courses and specialized programs at a discounted rate. The way this program works is by allowing students from one campus to attend classes for credit in pre-established programs of study at another campus.

Reciprocal Agreements/Programs May:

• Provide students with the chance to take classes at another campus for the same price as their home campus.
• Allow students to start a program of study at one campus then complete it at another.
• Give students access to a broader spectrum of classes and faculty.

Transfer Scholarships

Transfer Scholarships help two-year college students transfer to four-year schools. The four-year school offers these scholarships based on a set of requirements. These requirements often include a certain amount of completed community college transferable credits, a GPA of 3.00 or higher, and leadership activities. As with most awards, transfer scholarships are competitive. Selection of recipients is based on the number of scholarships to be awarded and the weighed requirements set forth by the four-year school.

Whatever your reasons for choosing a two-year school, its now time to take the next step: Planning a Transfer.

The Best Advice: Talk to a transfer counselor before scheduling classes at [Austin Community College].

SOURCE: http://www.furtheryoureducation.com/