Why Community College Could Be Your Best Choice

At a time when tuition is rising and competition to get into well-known universities is stiffer than ever, the stress of choosing a college can be overwhelming. Some students will gain acceptance to their top choices but will wonder how they will pay for tuition. Others will be disappointed that they have been admitted only to their “backup” choices. Others will not apply to college at all, knowing that they will not be able to afford it.

These ambitious students often laugh off community college as the domain of their unmotivated, unfocused, or anti-intellectual peers. How wrong they are! Here are a few benefits of community colleges:

Low tuition – for example, Santa Monica College in Los Angeles charges $26 per unit. For a full course load of twelve units per semester, that adds up to $624 for a full year of courses.

Professor interaction – unlike at major research universities, community college professors are there for one reason: to teach.

Small classes – again, you will have ample opportunity to contribute in class and to form relationships with your professors and peers

Time to explore – you will have two years to take classes in a number of disciplines and to hone in on your major

Easy transfer to larger universities – many universities accept as many transfer students as they do new freshman. Often the acceptance rate of transfer applicants is higher.

By the time you transfer, you will be focused and ready to take full advantage of the large university where you will complete your last two years of study. You will have saved a huge amount of money during the exploration process of your two years at community college, and you will have forged close relationships with professors that will serve you for the rest of your career.

If you are worried about paying for college, or getting into your dream school, I strongly urge you to consider community colleges in your town, your state, or even out of state. You can take charge of your life, experience a new city, a new community, and a world of opportunities.