Deciding on whether to attend a junior college or a university can be a very tough decision. Oftentimes we hear negative opinions and comments about attending a junior college instead of a university. Junior colleges are much more affordable, they have smaller classes, and they are much more convenient than universities. Through my experiences and research, I feel there are many benefits to attending a junior college.
The most important benefit to attending a junior college is the financial savings. The present tuition at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is $75 per semester hour. A student at the University of Southern Mississippi will pay $172 per semester hour. That is a difference of nearly $100 dollars per semester hour. I have seen friends pay thousands of dollars to attend a university, and after a year they were no closer to a degree than a junior college student. They were just further in debt.
Another benefit to attending a junior college is the smaller class sizes. The classes at a junior college are held in classrooms, not huge lecture halls. I feel that a student can get more out a class lecture when there are fewer students in the class. It is easier for a student to ask questions when the class size is 30 students versus the 100 students in a university class. In a smaller class, the instructor will have more time for one-on-one meetings and discussions. This in itself can give junior college students an advantage over university students.
Junior colleges are known for giving nontraditional students many convenient ways to obtain a career. Married students, students with children, or even students that work full time, may not have the time or the finances to complete a 4 year program. Not every job requires a 4 year degree, so why waste the time and money? Junior colleges offer certificates and associate's degrees in various fields. The certificate programs are designed to prepare a student for an entry-level job upon completion of the program. Students may decide to take only a couple of semesters to get a certificate in a certain field such as nursing, welding, or surgical technology.
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.
In comparison to a 4-year university a 2-year community college is much more affordable option. Even if a student ultimately transfers to a university, those first two years at a community college can still save a student ten-of-thousands, and some cases hundreds-of-thousands, of dollars, “In 2011-2012, after accounting for grant aid from all sources, net tuition and fees… at public two-year public colleges was effectively zero for students from the two lowest income quartiles.”(Jenkins). Along with saving students money overall, community colleges allow students to work while going to school, so it gives students the pros of both not going to college, and going to college. The one downside of community college is the lack of degree options, but there is still a large selection of degrees that can be acquired at community college, just not as many as a 4-year university. When comparing all three of these options, the community college option seems like the only option where the pros heavily outweigh the cons while with the other options, the cons can easily overpower the
American community colleges can be the start of new opportunities for the students that are able to attend them to advance their education beyond a high school diploma. A high school education is not enough to succeed in the middle class economy like it was in the past. This way by making two year community colleges free they would be resource that would be more widely available to everyone who wanted to advance their careers. According to The Editors, Scientific American " Community colleges are pillars of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. They train technicians for jobs in leading-edge industries and grant associate 's degrees that let students finish the last half of their higher
Each point listed in this article was included to shine a light on the positives of community college and advise you on how attaining a junior college degree may be the best thing for your career in the end. However, even with the all of the advice in the world, the local community college offerings still may not feed your specific goals. As great as community colleges are, they are just not that great for every career. Set up campus tours and schedule an informational interview with an academic advisor at both the junior college and 4-year school you are considering before taking the leap. Nevertheless, before you do anything, decide what steps will be good for your career plan and make a sound decision on entering an associate’s degree program that fits your lifestyle, goals, financial outlook, and most importantly, dreams.
When you graduate high school you have your choice of what kind of an education you want to get. You have your choice of going to a 4-year university, or a 2-year college. In order to decide you will compare the two and use the comparisons to come up with your final decision. Questions to ask yourself would be, what are you looking for in college, how do you want to learn, and how much money do you have to work with. Comparing University and Community college the first thing that comes to mind is the difference in price. Certain Universities are more expensive than others. The difference in price is because of the difference in price and size, also because of the difference in the educational program they have. The price for a University can also differ with whether or not you are going to live there. With a Community college the price will differ significantly. The difference in price strands for the difference in size, teaching and living. At a Community college you have a smaller campus, the curriculum is different and yo...
One does not have to graduate high school and go straight to a four-year university. It is sometimes better for a student to go to a community college and focus on transfer courses, or simply get an Associate’s Degree. On the other hand, there are young adults that prefer to leap straight into a university and focus on the specific program for their Bachelor’s Degree. Although they are both a lot alike, there are many differences between the two. Universities are known for having large campuses; consequently, resulting in large number of students in each class.
However on the other side of the spectrum college does have its benefits. A college places its students in real life settings away from home. It lets the students begin making decisions that they will deal with for their entire life.
The two advantages are that you have more time to explore fields you want to study in and people who can’t afford college can get a college education. The two disadvantages are that there is a limited amount of majors and universities will have a higher expectation for two-year community colleges. In today 's society, there are many families that can 't afford college and have to take loans. The government should be able to take care of those needs. When people come fresh out of high school, a lot of people don’t usually know what they want to do with their life. There are reasons to why they might not offer particular majors at a community college such a budget and resources. Since community colleges would be free for people to apply to, it would be harder to transfer to a four-year
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.
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
College makes students see life as a young adult because the student’s parents are not around while they are enrolled at a university. College will give people a feeling of freedom by not being around their parents when having to make difficult decisions. Students can do whatever they want to do without any hesitation. It will let students make mistakes and learn from them. Students being to make life long relationships. Students basically gain independence when they are out there by themselves with no type of help. Students that are in college can be exposed to worst things like drugs and alcohol. Students will learn that it is time to grow out and come to the reality of working and making a living of something. Also, in college students experience fraternities or sororities they can join unlike high school. Students learn that if paper works needs filling out they are held responsible for filing the paperwork out. The student has to make sure he or she has food to eat so they might have to eventually get a job to buy the food. Freshmans get to experience all the new activities or clubs that are at the college or university they are attempting to attend. The seniors of the college realize that it soon will be time to move out of their guardian’s house and start a journey of their own by moving out and getting their personal place. At some universities they have dorms, which sometimes be shared with roommates . Roommates
Community college and universities both serve great purposes. Community college serves a better purpose for those who are not mentally or educationally prepared to move on to a much higher-level education and those who have jobs. It’s also for those who do not want the social aspect or who wants more personal once on once attention in class. Universities are set out for those who achieved their high school goals and are ready to leave home and become more independent. It is similarly better for the college experience of dorm life and sport activities. It all depends on the individual student making the choice, their financial status, maturity level, and their overall wants during their college life.
A college education has higher benefits in the long run for better and higher paying jobs. Some people think no matter what the education gives them it is not worth the cost. However, a large amount of graduates of college stated that it treated them well, taught them more and college was
Seniors all over are preparing for their final days of high school, living every last moment to the fullest; however, these students will also have to start preparing for college, which is a struggle to decide which is the best choice for them. These students are used to just jumping into the next school year without having to find a new school, so finding a college that meets their exact necessities is quite challenging. Two options for these students to consider are Cleveland State Community College and the University of Tennessee. Although these colleges offer great financial opportunities, they differ in a variety of ways that will ultimately influence the college a student chooses.
During high school, I did not have to study as hard as I do now that I am in college. Usually, I would be able to study the day before the test and score a hundred percent. Although, occasionally, I would be able to skip a few classes and get the notes from a classmate or of course, resort to guessing. However, now that I am in college, the lectures require much more attentiveness and are more complex: composing more information, meaning that one has to proportion time more responsibly and take an advantage of good study habits. My learning skills have made a complete transformation since I have been in college. I learned new things and I actually enjoy learning new things. Nevertheless, these changes required a lot of self control and practice. Going through these experiences have changed my entire persona about learning such as study habits, being more attentive during classes, and going through greater extents to succeed in certain classes.