Community College Checklist

Two-year colleges offer comprehensive programs that lead to an associate degree or a certificate in a specified field. Courses of study include a liberal arts/transfer curriculum that provides the courses for the first 2 years leading to a baccalaureate degree, occupational-technical programs that prepare students for employment or assist those already employed to upgrade their skills; developmental education programs that help students improve their basic academic skills; and courses that respond to individuals’ and communities’ social, intellectual, and recreational interests.

What To Consider When Deciding Whether To Attend a Community College

Do you know what your academic or career goals are, or are you unsure what course of study you want to pursue? Community colleges have the resources to help students identify areas of career interest and set realistic goals. You can explore a variety of associate degree, college-transfer, or technical-occupational programs, as well as a variety of nondegree programs.

Can you afford to attend a 4-year college all 4 years? Tuition and fees at community colleges are lower than at 4-year colleges and universities. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the estimated average cost of tuition and fees at public 2-year colleges nationwide for the 1995-1996 school year was $1,245, compared to an estimated average of $2,848 at 4-year colleges. If costs is a concern, you can attend your local community college for the first 2 year and then transfer to a 4-year college to complete your baccalaureate degree.

Are you interested in finding employment in a specialized, technical field that may not require a 4-year degree? You can pursue a course of study that leads to the associate degree in such technical fields as business, health occupations , and trade and industry education. You can decide to pursue a 4-year degree after you have earned the associated degree. Two-year colleges often have complementary arrangements with 4-year institutions that allow their programs to correspond.

Do you need to master basic academic skills before you can pursue college coursework? For students who want to pursue college coursework but who lack the basic reading, writing, mathematics, or science skills necessary to take college-level courses, the community college offers developmental education classes. These classes are designed to prepare students to pursue college coursework by strengthening these skills.

Do you have family and employment responsibilities to maintain while you work toward a college degree? Many 2-year college students maintain full- or part-time employment while they earn their degrees. To meet the needs of their students, most community colleges offer classes at night or on weekends. Of course, the length of time it takes to obtain an associate degree depends on the courseload students maintain: The fewer credits they earn per term, the longer it takes to earn a degree.

Do you want to learn in an environment in which teaching is of primary importance? Faculty members at community colleges are known for their excellent teaching and for attending to students and their individual academic needs, regardless of age, sex, race, current job status, or previous academic preparation.

by Tronie Rifken, Assistant Director, ERIC Clearing house for Community Colleges, UCLA