Community College: The Beginning of a Success Story

948 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Benefits of a college education

For the past few decades, receiving a college education has been a stressed importance in today’s society. However it is often misunderstood that attending a 4-year school is the best and only way to go. Following this belief, many students attend these schools with out being academically, financially, or mentally prepared. Unfortunately students like this have failed to over look the more realistic options available to them, such as community college. Junior college is a resource available to anyone regardless of his or her previous academic performance. The variety of courses and the inexpensive tuition gives students flexibility to explore the many options presented to them. Though Universities hold more prestige, community colleges provide endless opportunities for students who aren’t fully prepared for a 4-year education Society puts too much pressure on high school students to attend a 4-year college right after graduation. Though this is an attainable goal for some, a great majority of students are not fully prepared for the demands of college. 4-year schools require an incredible amount of maturity and preparation, leaving very little room for mistakes. Schools often overlook this aspect because their main goal is to get as many students into 4-year college as possible. This is a great goal to have however they send students off to college who aren’t ready to be handle the difficult of their courses while being away from home. My senior year of high school, my family and I came to the conclusion that we were not going to be able to afford four-year college tuition. This upset me at first because I felt like all my hard work and good grades went to waste. I dreaded the thought of going to community college because my who... ... middle of paper ... ...ols get caught up in the idea of living the college-life and forget about the factors of real-life. 4-year degrees may look more impressive, however it isn’t a sure ticket to success if a student isn’t fully polished for it. Community college may seem like the end of the world for someone who had dreams of Harvard, but community college could be the beginning of a success story for the student who just needed some time to grow up. Works Cited Addison, Liz. “Two Years Are Better Than Four”They Say I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing with Readings. 2nd ed. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. New York: Norton 2012. 211-214. Print. Billitteri, Thomas J. “The Value of a College Education.” CQ Researcher 20 Nov. 2009. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. Wright, Scott W. “Community Colleges.” CQ Researcher 21 Apr. 2000. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Liz Addison Two Years Are Better Than Four Summary

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    Entry to community college allows just that. Addison explains, “just follow any one of the 1,655 road signs, and pop your head inside—yes, independent film, a first independent thought, a first independent study” (212). Many potential college prospects are turned away because this self-discovery found in community college cannot be found in private college; however, Addison insists that community college is the golden ticket to regain these would-be scholars. To begin, acceptance is necessary for admittance to many colleges—not community college. In the words of Addison, “down at X.Y.C.C. it is still possible to enter the college experience as a rookie” (213). Any student desiring education, preparation, and self-discovery does not need to look any further than community college, which, for some students, is the only shot at the college experience. On top of this, community colleges provide opportunities like no college—public or private—could. Community colleges provide introductory courses that could not be found in regular institutions; this allows students to explore and get their feet under them. To find and pursue an interest proves more difficult at a college because intense classes are provided from the beginning, whether students have declared a major or have yet to decide. In sum, Addison claims that an atmosphere designed

    Read More

  • Liz Addison's View Of Community College Does Still Matter?

    712 Words  | 2 Pages

    While universities require their applicant to be somehow professional before they admit them, community colleges allow their students to enter the college experience as rookies-inexperienced- and give them the opportunity to reach professionalism. Addison herself writes “you will grow up with your first English class a bit more with your first psychology class, a whole lot more with your first biology, physics, chemistry”(257). Addison’s point is that community college are built in a way to help its student start from where they finished high school without having to get use to a whole new environment. How can we expect an adolescent to focus on their studies while they have a lot of changes going on in their life? Is it even possible for them to succeed with all those changes going on in their life? In Addison’s perspective, that is why community colleges still matter, because they can help those student, who have to learn to live like adults while their academic success is not affected.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Hunter Rawlings's College Is Not A Commodity

    707 Words  | 2 Pages

    As the economy evolves and the job market continues to get more competitive, it’s becoming harder to have a successful career without some kind of college degree. This creates a belief in many young students that college actually is a commodity, something they must have in order to have a good life. There’s many different factors that influence this mindset, high schools must push the importance of the student’s willingness and drive to further their education. College isn’t just a gateway to jobs, but it is an opportunity to increase knowledge and stretch and challenge the student which in return makes them a more rounded adult and provides them with skills they might lack prior to

    Read More

  • Summary Of Two Year Are Better Than Four By Liz Addison

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    One major decision one must make after exiting high school is whether to go to a university or go to community college. In the article “Two Year Are Better Than Four,” written by Liz Addison. She expressed her opinion on the significance of community colleges in comparison with the university. She stated that community college do not receive the acknowledgment and appreciation that they deserve. “what’s the matter with colleges?,” (Addison 255). although, there is a lot to agree with within the article there are some faulty statements that two year colleges don’t offer the best education possible and that community college are more engaging and individualized for a student and the price is also much less expensive than a university education.

    Read More

  • Comparing Keene's Essay On Higher Education And The American Dream

    585 Words  | 2 Pages

    Community college is the next step for higher education. Sara E. Keene explains the path she took to achieve the american dream in Keene’s article “Higher education and ‘The American Dream,’”. Keene quickly becomes disappointed with community colleges because instead of helping break down down social classes, ethnicity, and other social barriers and opportunities they are encouraging them. Keene wants all students to be equally challenged to reach their full potential. Just like her professors Ted Hamilton and Paula Clarke challenged her to reach their full potential. Keene believes that remedial courses do not help challenge students to become successful. I agree that all students should

    Read More

  • Article Review: The Benefits Of Attending Community College

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Benefits Of Attending Community College: A Review Of The Evidence.” Community College Review 39.1 (2011): 46. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 30 Sept. 2016. This article’s primary focus is on the benefit of attending a community college for two years. The information presented in this article supports that a college degree affects much more than we might think. People with only a high school degree have changes in health, criminal activity, well-being, and welfare reliance. These benefits are just as important as economic earning gains. These findings make the concept of college even more appealing to one’s

    Read More

  • 4 Year Community College Pros And Cons

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    When students are in high school, is the end, they are finally free after 13 years of schooling, but for many people graduating from high school is just the beginning. After graduating from high school, students are faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to continue on with their education. And if they do decide to continue on with their education, what form of education will they choose. There are a variety of different options open to students each accompanied by their own pros and cons. These options include; no school, 4-year university, or 2-year community college.

    Read More

  • Public Community Colleges : Creating Access And Opportunities For First Generation College Students

    1141 Words  | 3 Pages

    The author, Julia Brookshire Everett commenced the article, “Public Community Colleges: Creating Access and Opportunities for First Generation College Students”, by first characterizing first- generation college students and also expounding on the difficulties first-generation students encountered when acquiring post-secondary degrees. According to Everett (2015), the term ‘first- generation college student’ was first coined in the 1960s in order to regulate student eligibility for federally financed programs to aid students from low-income households.

    Read More

  • California Community College: A Case Study

    1379 Words  | 3 Pages

    The California Community Colleges (CCC) system is composed of 108 colleges organized into 72 districts that serve more than 1.4 million students statewide. Under the direction of the CCC board of governors, the Chancellor’s Office provides statewide guidance and leadership to the community colleges. In addition, the voters in each district elect a board of trustees charged with developing local policies that govern the day-to-day operations at the district’s colleges, including overseeing the compensation of teaching faculty and other employees. For the fall 1999 semester, the districts reported to the Chancellor’s Office a total population of 41,754 teaching faculty, of which 28,180 (67 percent) were classified as part-time and 13,574 (33

    Read More

  • What You Eat Is Your Business

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel K. Durst. "They Say/I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With Readings. Vol. 2e. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. Print.

    Read More

  • Summary Of College Is A Waste Of Time And Money

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    It seems as though the majority of college students these days aren’t looking to further their education because it’s what they really want, they do it to please their parents, to be accepted by society, or because there’s nothing else for them to do (Bird, 372). These expectations have led to students being unhappy and stressed, and have pushed them into a school or a job that they don’t particularly care for.

    Read More

  • College Is Worth It Or Not?

    1523 Words  | 4 Pages

    With tuition rising every year, students face the challenge paying the debt achieving a college degree comes with. “Student debt surpassed credit-card debt in June 2010 for the first time in history, rising to about $830 billion — or nearly 6 percent of the nation 's annual economic output”(Clemmitt, Marcia). Not everyone has a ton of money just laying around. Being that financial trouble is the biggest problem for students, they begin to question whether college is worth it or not. In recent years, students have taken out loans to help with expenses. Most students choose to attend a community and junior college to help minimize the debt. Even after graduating with a degree, students still face the struggle of finding a job in this economic time. For higher class families this may not be a problem to them. But for the middle class and low income families, they face tougher times being that they don 't have the financial help like higher class families do. For the middle class and low income families, it makes more sense attending a community and junior college rather than a four year university.

    Read More

  • College is not for everyone

    1039 Words  | 3 Pages

    First of all, many high school graduates cannot handle college. Isabel V. Sawhill and Stephanie Owen describe college as a place, “one can obtain a traditional four-year bachelor’s degree”. The work load outside of the classroom could be compared to working a full time job. For example, if a student is enrolled in four college courses and is in class a minimum of four hours the student should spend at least four to six hours of studying. This may be extremely agitating and stressful to a student that is not good at studying. The new college student may realize that the schoolwork is too much for him to handle and instead drop out. In Pharinet’s blog post, Is College for Everyone? He states that “…it is estimated that in the U.S., approximately 50% of students who begin college never graduate. There exist students who are not yet ready for the academic and financial challenges of college. There exist students who do not have the desire for college or learning.” This statement is important because if 50% of students that begin college never gradua...

    Read More

  • Rising College Tuition

    736 Words  | 2 Pages

    As the high school chapter is coming to a close, many students have to make a decision that will affect the rest of their lives. Hopefully, for many that decision is to enroll in a college and attain a higher education. However, as tuition costs rise, students have to take a second look at their options for a better future. A community college is that second look for many because it is the less expensive option. From 2007-2009, enrollment for community colleges has increased by 24 percent (“College costs and the CPI”). Students aren’t choosing a college for educational purposes because they are overwhelmed by financial issues. They are attending community colleges so they will be able to graduate with a lower debt. Some seniors have wanted to attend a certain university all their life and they work toward that goal through grade school; however, they are hindered by soaring tuition for that college. Students should be able to attend a private university if they mee...

    Read More

  • College Readiness

    2483 Words  | 5 Pages

    to about 83 percent of high school graduates enroll in some form of postsecondary education, but only about 52 percent of students complete their degrees. Further, a very small proportion of students complete a degree in four years—“among students starting at ‘four-year’ institutions, only 34 percent finish a B.A. in four years, 64 percent within six years, and 69 percent within eight and a half years.” Colleges always want students to graduate and support their alma mater. However this begins with deciding what student are mentally readiness and determination for the task that lies ahead, college. In today’s society we struggle trying to find a proper definition for college readiness. This is the main reason statistics and graduation rates suffer in the way that they do. Just because a high school student reaches the age of 18, obtains a high school diploma, and has functional literacy, does that really make students college ready?

    Read More

More about Community College: The Beginning of a Success Story

Open Document