Considering Community College
There are a number of reasons why a community college might be a good choice if you’re just starting out, especially in these uncertain economic times.
Whether you’re a high school senior or have been out of school for a while, the decision to go to college is probably one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. But what if you don’t know what you want to do? It’s not unusual to feel that you need a college education–and we all know that it will increase your chances of good, well-paying work–but, you’re not quite sure what you want to do.
Or maybe you’re operating on a tight budget.
A community college makes good sense on a number of levels. It’s affordable. You can easily knock out your requirements before heading off to a college or university. Plus, you can experiment a little. Take some classes for the fun of it or because it’s a topic you’ve always been interested in. You might be surprised and find yourself looking at a career path you never considered before.
Community colleges often have excellent instructors who are actively engaged with their topic. You don’t need a Ph.D. to be a good instructor. In fact, the opposite is often true. You’ll find plenty of Ph.D.’s teaching at the community college level, but you’ll also find a variety of others who are there based on their experience in a particular trade. Often they are working as adjuncts (part-time instructors) simply because they have a passion for teaching.
You can save money by living at home. While this might not be ideal–after all, you’ve graduated from high school and are probably anxious to get out on your own, but if your parents are footing the bill, they may be hard pressed financially. A community college is affordable.
So you barely passed high school? No problem! You can make up your classes and move on once you’ve completed them. Employers look at where you graduated from; they won’t care if you spent two years in a community college first.
I’m a fan of community colleges. I was one of those high school misfits, then in my 20s as a single mother, I realized if I was ever going to move beyond factory work, I needed a degree. I went for two years at Cabrillo Community College in Santa Cruz, California, then moved onto the University of California. A few years after graduating I went back to school at the University of Nevada for my M.A. and now teach at a community college.
I have some of my best memories–and encountered some of my best instructors at the community college.