subject: Community Colleges And Low Tuition Costs [print this page] With the rising prices of attending colleges, many students and their families are looking towards community colleges to help defray some of the costs. More and more students are recognizing the many benefits of community colleges, and are choosing to spend the first year or two of their studies at institutions like these. Some of the many benefits of community colleges include:
Close to home. Many communities have local colleges, which means that students do not have to travel far to find high quality education. And since students and their families will not be spending exorbitant amounts of money on tuition, they often do not have to borrow money through student loan programs. Studying close to home also means that students can live with their parents, thereby saving on room, board, and travel expenses.
Small class sizes. Classes in community colleges are usually relatively small, so students get more individualized attention from their instructors. This interaction can often mean that students get a firmer grasp of the course's content, making them well-prepared for advanced classes.
Low tuition costs. The costs for courses at a local community college are often much less than universities or four year colleges, making higher education accessible to everyone. Families who would struggle financially to send their children to a university are usually much more able to pay for courses at a community college. Students can often also work part-time and pay for the coursework themselves.
Quality of education. Whether the students at community colleges intend to end their education with their associate's degree, or they plan on transferring their coursework credit to a university, the quality of education at community colleges is usually more than sufficient. Instructors usually have a strong commitment to their students, and work hard to make their courses meaningful.
If you are interested in attending a community college, look around to the choices in your area, paying attention to both the programs they offer as well as their quality of instructors. You will usually be able to find several colleges in your area that offer your intended program; so your choice comes down to how impressed you are with the instructors, as well as how transferable the coursework is. Ask the college's registrar to give you a list of which universities accept credits from them, to make sure that you can use the credits you earn later on, if you desire.
