Community colleges are growing in number and expanding their sizes in an effort to accommodate more students.
According to the U.
S.
Department of Education, there are over three million new students enrolled in college and universities every year in the United States alone.
That is a great sign for education, but it is also a big drain on the system and is now becoming a credit problem with all these new student loans being taken each year.
How can a community college help you achieve your goals? It is pretty simple if you look at the course of a typical student in today's university system.
Community colleges usually cost less than even a state school, not to mention a private school.
Most of the classes that a student takes in their first two years at most colleges are introduction level courses.
It may not matter where they are taken, so why not take them at a community college close to home and save the money for later years at a state college or private school.
Some Advantages of Community Colleges: 1.
Full year tuition and fees is averaging around $3,000 per year as of 2011.
Compare this to the average state school at $6,500 and private schools at $ 30,000 plus annually.
Getting a couple years of courses for less than the cost of one year at a state school offers great value.
Just make sure that your course credits can be transferred to the state or private school you are interested in.
2.
If you are unsure of your desired career path or college major, a community college can offer you the necessary time to explore new courses and careers.
It also allows a student to make the adjustment to college studying and campus life while keeping costs at a minimum.
3.
Community colleges now offer a nice array of athletic programs, some with athletic facilities that are better than many small private colleges.
Their theater, art, intramural activities and school clubs are expanding every year and rival many state universities for diversity.
4.
Community colleges are now offering campus housing because they are finding their students are no longer just commuting to school, they may be coming from across the state.
And while commuter students remain the majority on community college campuses, live in students are growing rapidly.
5.
Commuting to a local school can save money.
Many students find that they enjoy the campus life, but prefer to sleep in their own bed and enjoy the family cooking.
For these students the community college is a great stepping stone on their way to a four-year college after they finish their first two years.
6.
Upon graduation from their community college, most student have some choices.
They now have a two-year degree or an associates degree in some thing.
They could decide to go straight to a four-year college and transfer their credits.
This would allow them to enter as a junior and finish their bachelors degree at a private or state school.
7.
With their associated degree in hand, they may decide to enter the workforce and see what career opportunities develop.
Many students have taken this route and found a nice career that allowed them to earn a good living and possibly take additional courses at night or with the financial assistance of the company they work for.
They can then graduate with their bachelors degree while earning a paycheck and gaining some valuable job experience.
Summary: Unfortunately, too many students enter an expensive private or state university with no clue what they are going for, other than they were told they "had to go to college".
Maybe they weren't mature enough to handle it or were just "burned out" after high school.
Some end up figuring it out as they go, but many of these students just party and go wild until either they drop out or get kicked out.
At $3,000 per year, it is costly and unfortunate.
But at $30,000 per year it is painful lesson for both the student and their parents.
A community college offers an inexpensive way to help these students make their adjustments.
They get a feel for what to expect and learn the ropes as they go, but they do it without going heavily into debt or costing their family a bundle.
If you would like to discover additional ways to reduce college costs and increase financial aid, you can download your FREE College Cost Savings Kit by clicking here.
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