The Benefits of Community College Education

If you are "shopping around" for a college there are a number of questions you need to ask yourself and make sure you and your parents ask the same questions of admissions staffs at the colleges and universities you visit.

Some of the questions you must answer for yourself include the following. Do you want to live at home and commute or live on campus to have a residential experience? What can you afford and what scholarships or financial aid will you qualify for? What "size" school do you want to attend? How much personal attention do you need? What academic areas do you want to pursue? Do you want to go to school full-time or part-time? How flexible is your personal and work schedule? If you are like more than 50 percent of college bound students in the U.S. today, community colleges are the right answer to all of those questions.

For financial and other reasons, many college students want to or need to live at home for at least the first two years of college. That's what makes community colleges attractive to so many students. In most cases, community colleges are within easy driving distance in both urban and rural environs. So, you can save the money you might have spent on food and housing at a residential college or university.

Is the cost of higher education an issue for you? If so, you are not alone. In most cases, community colleges are hands down the least expensive way to get a quality education. Some community colleges have local tax levies that give financial breaks to the residents of the counties that support the college. Much of the money realized by those additional tax dollars allow the community college to keep tuition at the bare minimum. Most of these community colleges don't have the "high overhead" that many mega universities have, thus the cost savings can be passed on to you. Financial aid and scholarship packages are just as readily available at community colleges as they are at the bigger or private colleges.

When considering the size of the college you want to attend don't just ask about total enrollment. A more important question to ask is what is the college's faculty to student ratio or average class size. If you don't want to be "just a number" in large university lecture halls, then consider community colleges. Many community colleges have average class sizes of 20 students or less, which means you can get more personal attention and enjoy interaction better with your fellow students. You will also be taught by a full or part-time professional faculty member, not some graduate assistant filling in for a professor while he is in the research lab.

What academic field do you want to pursue? If you are not sure, a community college is a low cost way to explore your academic and career options. Many students are uncertain about their career goals in the first two or more years of college. No matter what field you go into, you will have to take many of the same basic courses. Why not take those courses at a community college where costs are lower and then, if necessary, transfer those community college credits to a four-year institution during your junior year? There is solid data that shows that community college transfer students perform as well or better than students who start out at a four year college or university.

If you choose to attend college part-time because of family and/or job needs, you will find community colleges offer the most flexible scheduling, distance learning and alternative methods for pursuing your career or degree program. Community colleges are open days, evenings, and weekends to accommodate your busy lifestyle.

Just because you choose to commute to a community college, don't think you can't have a rich campus experience. Unlike a lot of four-year colleges and universities, community colleges have students of all ages, income levels, cultural backgrounds and professional status. That means you can make friends from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. You will be "richer" for the experience and meet people who are more likely to remain in your community to become lifelong friends.

If you are "shopping around" for a college or university and have not considered community colleges, you are shortchanging yourself and perhaps your career. Don't just be swayed about what you may have "heard" about community colleges. Check it out for yourself. You could be saving two of the most important things in life -- time and money!

Gary Honnert, Director of Public Information, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio.