Posts Tagged ‘community college’
How to Choose a Community College
So you think you’d like to attend community college before transferring to another college or university! Many students enjoy taking this step. Typically, students who begin their education at a community college save money, as their intro classes are completed for a lower cost than they would be at a college or university. Community college students also enjoy a less dramatic transition as they go from being a high school student to a college student. Community college also gives you the chance to feel out different major possibilities before you ultimately make the decision to declare. But just because you’re attending a community college doesn’t mean the decision on where to go is crystal clear! There might be many community colleges in your area. Check out these tips on how to pick the right one:
Get the 411 On Transfer Credits
Regardless of why you’ve chosen to attend a community college before applying to another college or university, you want your time in school to count. Before choosing a community college, learn more about which courses will transfer. If you know what school you’ll eventually want to attend, find out if your classes will transfer specifically to that school. You don’t want to have to spend more time and money repeating the same courses because your credits didn’t transfer.
Consider Your Future Plan
You might be going to community college so you can knock out your basic coursework quickly before entering a major university where you can focus solely on your program. You could be starting here because you don’t know what you’d like to do, and you don’t want to pay the cost of university tuition to find out. Maybe you think an associates degree in one area and a major in another will help you find a job. Just as if you were searching for a four-year degree program, consider the programs offered at community colleges, and how they can best suit your needs. You’ll find a variety of options, all of which can prepare you for what whatever plan you’d like to pursue!
Consider Your Future Field
While there are community colleges for general areas of study, some focus on particular fields, such as technology or business. If you know you’d like to get into a certain field, and there’s a community college that specializes in that, you’ll probably want to consider starting there!
Consider Whom From High School Will Be There
Community college can sometimes feel like high school, part two. Whether or not that’s a good thing is for you to decide! If a third of your class is attending the closest community college, and you want the opportunity to break away, you may want to try for another college up the road. If like the thought of having all of your friends from high school in the same place again, you’ll probably be very happy attending a college with a high percentage of your graduating class.
Cappex can help you search for community colleges!
Californian community college to offer two-tier pricing
Officials at a community college in California recently announced that they will offer two tiers of course pricing to help more students earn their qualifications, reports the Bellingham Herald.
Santa Monica College proposed that high-demand classes such as English and math be provided to students from low-income families at a cost of $46 per unit. A nonprofit foundation will be established to provide students from more privileged backgrounds with the same classes, but at a higher price.
Students will be able to use financial aid to pay for classes, although officials at the community college confirmed that they are seeking private funding to create scholarships for students in need.
"It shows some attempt to be innovative," Dan Hurley, director of state relations and policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, told the newspaper. "At a four-year school it might turn some heads, but it makes sense at a community college level, where the tuition is low and the capacity issue is especially acute."
According to The Los Angeles Times, community college units are currently priced at $36 each, and many two-year schools have had to raise their prices by $10 to counteract necessary budget cuts across the state.
If you're filling out college applications for a community college, make sure to check if classes are available at the lowest possible rates to keep your costs down.
Comments: No Comments »
Friday College Town Hall
In Friday College Town Hall, we post a question about college or education, and you leave an answer in the comment field.
Today’s question comes from Inside Higher Ed:
A study from Sallie Mae said that 22% of college students with a family income of over $100,000 opted for a community college last year. Four years ago, the number was at 16%.
What do you think is behind this fact that more affluent students are going to community college? Should community colleges update their facilities to accommodate these students?
Have a thought or an answer? Leave a reply below.
We’ve also asked our @Cappex Twitter followers to chime in! Here’s what people are saying on Twitter:
Comments: 4 Comments »
Higher education discussed in New Hampshire ahead of presidential visit
Members of the media and several academic officials from across New Hampshire discussed the future of higher education in the state and across the country ahead of President Barack Obama's planned visit to the Granite State later this month, reports the Nashua Telegraph.
Tara Payne, vice president of college planning for the New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation, said students thinking of filling out college applications have plenty of options.
"Students should be encouraged to attend postsecondary education," Payne told the news source. "Families should explore lots of different types of campuses and lots of different avenues for achieving the goal of a postsecondary degree – part-time, full-time, living away from home and commuting to school."
According to The Boston Globe, President Obama is scheduled to visit Nashua Community College as part of his reelection campaign. He will discuss the importance of two-year schools to the economy and their role as ways for students to earn practical skills that can help them find jobs.
If you're considering attending a community college, think about how your major will help you find a job when you graduate. Although you should study something you're interested in, employment prospects are important, too.
Comments: No Comments »
Community college is an important benchmark for students
According to officials at the University of Wyoming (UW), students who complete their associate's degree at a community college tend to do well when they move on to enroll in four-year degree programs, reports The Associated Press.
The university recently decided to make its admissions factors stricter after concerns that some students were not prepared for college-level work. As well as providing them with the chance to explore new subjects, earning an associate's degree at a community college can be a great way for students to get ready for the kind of work they'll be doing at university.
"In fact, those who wait to get an associate's degree and come down do as well as UW students who start here from the beginning," said Mike Massie, special assistant to the president of the college, as quoted by the news source.
Community colleges are an important part of President Barack Obama's plans for education reform. According to USA Today, the president wants to create more partnerships between community colleges and businesses to provide 2 million students with training that can help them find work.
If you're thinking of filling out a college application, you might want to consider earning an associate's degree at a community college. Two-year schools can be a great place to explore new majors and get a feel for college-level work.
Comments: No Comments »
Students should look at more than just graduation rates
When you're doing a college search, a school's graduation rates are something to think about. Although this information can be useful when you're thinking about submitting a college application, there's more to them than meets the eye, according to a recent article in The Washington Post.
Patricia McGuire, president of Trinity Washington University, said that the way schools collect data about graduating students is flawed, and should not be the only thing students look at when choosing a school. Technically, under the present guidelines used by the Department of Education, students who transfer to other schools count as dropouts.
"Graduation rate data is not the same as degree attainment, which is the real measure of how many students actually earn degrees," McGuire wrote. "Many more students earn degrees than the graduation rate indicates. Why? Because the graduation rate does not include transfer students, or [individuals] who have elongated their degree timetable by stopping out for work and family obligations."
Despite these claims, many schools are trying to improve their graduation rates. According to the Chicago Tribune, Illinois' Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon says that community colleges across the state must improve the number of students graduating successfully.
Don't forget to look at all aspects of a prospective school when you're filling out college applications, not just graduation rates.
Comments: No Comments »
Could three-year degrees work for Oregon?
Academic experts and analysts are constantly looking for ways to improve the higher education system. According to a recent article in OregonLive, retired community college lecturer John Attig asked whether three-year bachelor's degree programs could be one way to make college more accessible and affordable.
Attig wrote that offering three-year degrees would be the equivalent of awarding every student a 25 percent scholarship due to the shorter length of the program. Such a plan could also help more students graduate earlier. He said that three-year degrees would enable more students to receive financial aid, and allow increased numbers of individuals to earn a college degree.
"There are several colleges and universities that offer three-year degrees to honors students," Attig wrote. "Oregon should study how they do it, imitate their best practices and use them as a guide when establishing a three-year degree for all bachelor's degrees. This wheel already has been invented."
According to USA Today, due to budgetary restrictions, competition for financial aid and scholarships in Oregon is fierce.
If you're filling out college applications, don't be put off by the high number of students applying. With some careful planning and forward thinking, you can find the college for you.
Comments: No Comments »
Chicago mayor says community college system must improve
Low graduation rates at the City Colleges of Chicago must improve or school officials could be dismissed, reports Inside Higher Ed.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that officials at the community college must do more to improve the schools' graduation rate. Currently, City Colleges of Chicago graduates just 7 percent of students who enroll in its programs. However, the community college was recognized for its commitments to making education more accessible to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and ethnic groups.
"You cannot continue with a 7 percent graduation rate," Emanuel said in a news conference last summer, as quoted by the news source. "We owe the taxpayers – and most importantly the students – a better community college system."
According to the Chicago Tribune, Mayor Emanuel is scheduled to speak at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., later this week. Education is expected to be a topic of discussion at the event, including the graduation rates of city community colleges.
If you're thinking about attending a community college, make sure to research the graduation rates thoroughly before you submit a college application.
Comments: No Comments »
Demand for community college increasing in California
The community college system in California is one of the biggest in the U.S., according to KPCC News. Serving more than 2.6 million students at 112 campuses, demand for access to community college courses is increasing across the state.
Many of the California Community Colleges system's member campuses have seen rising volumes of college applications from students looking to save money on tuition, as well as military veterans returning from active duty overseas.
To address the growing demand at community colleges throughout the state, Governor Jerry Brown has proposed legislation intended to increase funding for public education by $400 million.
"Clearly our budget looks a lot better with the revenue package than without it," Dan Troy, vice chancellor for fiscal policy at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, told the radio station. "So we’re definitely going to be on pins and needles hoping that it passes."
According to the University of California's student newspaper, the Daily Bruin, the school could see ongoing increases to its budget of $90 million under Governor Brown's proposals. Voters are expected to decide on the measures later this year.
Are you considering filling out a college application for a community college?
Comments: No Comments »
Register on Cappex
Create a free profile and...
- Discover more than $11 billion in scholarships and merit aid
- Get your college matches and see which colleges want you
- Instantly see your admissions chances for getting into the college of your dreams
Search our Blog
Categories
Before Leaving for College
College Admissions
College Decisions
College Facts
College Life
College Resources
College Search
Helpful College Tips
High School Tips
Internships/Work Experience
Majors and Minors
News and Announcements
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Student News
Uncategorized
White Board Friday
Comments: No Comments »