I can tell you that from my experience thus far after attending a 4 year and multiple CCs that some of the best professors have been at CCs. I remember speaking to one of my philosophy CC professors who was stating that they were interviewing candidates for a full time position at the CC I was taking a class in.
He stated that in a month of announcing the position over qualified applicants had submitted an application, and in California CC, generally speaking minimum requirements are a master's degree. At community college I've had everything from 2 page papers up to 8 page papers.
Definitely varies. I have taken quite a few CC courses. I can tell you there are a few very good teachers, small class sizes, and great environment close to home from my experience. I will probably take a few general education courses at my CC, but certainly not anything in my major.
Its harder in universities to succeed and it will challenge you more to stand out. Finding information about four-year universities is simple because the schools often go out of their way to contact prospective students. Learning about your options is simple with the piles of brochures and abundance of emails universities send out. Universities also offer many chances for touring the campus. If you are still in high school, you may get an excused absence from school to travel to a university for a tour.
Community colleges may also offer tours, depending on the school. The Mount provides virtual tours until public events recommence. If you want to play college-level sports for four years, you will find more options at universities.
Even if you play sports for a local amateur league, you will not get the competitiveness you will find from playing sports at a four-year university. Other types of competitive activities such as band performance or orchestras are also more common in universities than in smaller two-year schools. Universities tend to have more former students who leave legacies to the school in the form of scholarships.
Other types of scholarship opportunities offered at universities may include sports, music performance or scholarships for attending a specific program for all four years. The larger size of the university may also make more types of financial aid available. Comparing community college and university pros and cons will always include the negative aspects of both forms of education.
Despite their popularity with many, there are some downsides to going to a university for all four years of school. The biggest concern for many when attending a four-year university is the cost. As noted, universities have a much higher per year cost. Much of this cost includes additional fees the university charges for housing, meal plans and special programs. The extra amenities offered at a university come at a cost.
The costs for education at a university increase if you attend a school outside your home state. These amounts only include tuition and fees and not housing, food, supplies and books. A more accurate total cost for the average student attending various types of universities for the school year are as follows:. Consequently, actual budgets almost double the listed tuition and fees when comparing the costs of various universities. The high cost of universities and the salaries for jobs available after graduation can make the return on a university degree profitable for some and a loss for others.
Not all universities put their graduates in a position to earn enough to adequately pay off student loans and earn a living. Unless you find a job that makes enough to help you to pay off the hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt you have from attending four years of university, you may find yourself having lost money. To save money, you could attend a community college for two years at a fraction of the cost and transfer to a four-year school after to complete your degree.
You will still have a degree, but a much lower debt amount. Universities tend to have very large classes, which have a correlation to lower student grades. In fact, researchers determined the maximum number of students in an ideal class for colleges to be as follows:. Most universities surpass these numbers because they must enroll a specific number of students to meet their financial needs. You may attend classes at a four-year university with dozens or hundreds of other students.
Even pricy, private universities such as Duke, Rice and Yale all have average class sizes between 27 and Paying more to attend a smaller private school may not always correspond to having smaller classes. A contributor to the high costs of many universities is the r equirement for non-local freshmen to live in campus housing.
Some schools may require students to live on campus after their first year, too. While you will learn many things about becoming an independent adult living in dorms, you will also have to pay the cost of thousands of dollars in living expenses. Today, the college offers 10 online associate degree programs , including simulation and game development, construction management technology, and office administration.
PCC offers career services, disability services, and veterans services. PAC offers more than 20 fully online degree and certificate programs in areas like business management and operations, cyberdefense and operations, and logistics and supply chain management.
Online courses last for eight or 16 weeks. Student support services include tutoring, career services, counseling, disability support services, and library services.
A student's choice of school and delivery method make a big impact on the price they pay. Many of the best accredited online colleges feature lower tuition rates than on-campus programs because of the limited space required to host students in classrooms. In general, credits at community colleges usually cost less than at most four-year schools. In the sections below, we explore these price differences in greater detail, highlighting what kind of savings students can expect and what they may need to consider when comparing schools.
Compared to four-year colleges, tuition at two-year community colleges costs less in most cases. Community colleges can offer lower prices by featuring fewer extracurricular opportunities and facilities. Online community colleges also offer flexible scheduling options to accommodate a diverse student body, many of whom work while studying. Through asynchronous, evening, and weekend courses, these schools help learners maintain their current jobs while preparing them for new careers after graduation.
Students need to consider multiple factors when choosing between online and on-campus programs , though they can typically find reduced prices at accredited online colleges. Online training uses virtual classrooms with much lower overhead costs, which usually results in lower tuition prices. Students can find savings in other areas as well. Online students can save on travel and transportation costs, such as vehicle wear and tear and parking. They can reduce room and board costs without attending classes on campus, and some online classes offer less expensive digital textbooks.
As an example of how online community colleges compare to the alternatives, the following table examines tuition prices at Shoreline Community College. Students can save money attending online community college, but they should be aware of costs outside of tuition that may not be as visible. While online learning considerably reduces travel costs, learners may still need to commute to complete practica or internships.
They should also prepare for textbook and registration costs, along with these additional fees. Many online schools include a distance learning fee or technology fee on top of tuition to cover costs associated with managing virtual classrooms, including maintaining online learning software and platforms and providing technical support.
Assessment fees can cover an assortment of school costs, including transcript and transfer credit evaluation, online testing software, and exam proctoring services. Some schools also lump assessment and registration fees together.
Graduation fees typically cover the cost of creating diploma packages and running the commencement ceremony. Distance learners may have the option of attending the ceremony online, which could reduce the cost. Some programs feature residencies for online students, which can add to their overall cost.
Learners may need to pay for room and board, food, and travel if they attend these events. Students should only consider accredited online colleges when choosing schools. Regionally accredited online colleges go through the same process as traditional institutions. An accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation CHEA must review the school's programs and practices and ensure it meets or exceeds the educational standards for that area.
Students attending regionally accredited online colleges gain access to federal financial aid, transfer credits, and employment opportunities after graduation. They also get the assurance that their school compares favorably to others in that region. When in doubt, degree-seekers can search the list of regionally accredited online colleges from the Department of Education. Online community colleges may hold regional or national accreditation. Typically, the best accredited online colleges hold regional accreditation, which is the most widely accepted and prestigious accreditation available.
Regionally accredited online colleges may feature more rigid admission requirements , but credits earned at these institutions transfer almost everywhere. Nationally accredited online colleges, conversely, are usually for-profit career and technical schools.
These institutions often have a similar focus across all programs, such as business or nursing. Furthermore, admission tends to be more accessible, and credits may not transfer to regionally accredited online colleges. In addition to accredited online colleges, students should be mindful of programmatic accreditation. Like regional and national accreditation, programmatic accreditation involves an organization reviewing a school's programs to ensure it properly prepares students and meets the standards of that industry.
Unlike regional accreditation, however, programmatic accreditation may not be mandatory. Nevertheless, some fields do require programmatic accreditation, such as heavily regulated disciplines, such as healthcare, education, and human services. In fields like business and management, programmatic accreditation may be preferred or recommended.
CHEA provides a list of reputable programmatic accrediting organizations for further review. An associate degree from an accredited online college can make a big difference in employment outcomes. In terms of finding work, associate degree-holders perform much better than those with only a high school diploma. The 7. The examples below show some of the highest-paying professions available to associate degree-holders, along with the salaries from different experience levels.
Despite lower community college costs, students may still find paying for an education to be a challenge. To reduce financial stress, degree-seekers can take advantage of several financial aid programs. The section below examines some of the more popular support options available. All the best accredited online colleges use this form to determine a student's eligibility for federal aid.
Students need their Social Security number and financial information to apply. For some types of aid, online students may need to enroll full time. College loans may include federal aid and private bank loans. These often feature reduced interest charges while the student remains in school, but they do require repayment plus interest after graduation. Graduates struggling to manage their debt might want to pursue student loan refinancing and consolidation. College grants are among the more attractive forms of financial aid because they do not require repayment.
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