Community College vs University

Deciding on whether to attend a community college or a university can be a very tough decision. Often times we hear negative opinions and comments about attending a community college instead of a university. Community colleges are much more affordable. They have smaller classes, and they are much more convenient than universities. Through some people experiences and research, there are many benefits to attending a community college before university. There are many differences between going to a university right after finishing high school and going to a community college for the first two years.

Such differences can be seen in terms of finances, degree and environment. One of the most important benefits to attending a community college is the financial savings. The average tuition at community college is $42 per credit hour, and the average for universities can vary between $1500 and $4000 depending on whether the university is public or private. This is a huge difference in price per semester hour. Furthermore, at community college the books are less expensive.

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You can chose to buy a new book or a used book, and you still have the option to rent the books.

Some people pay thousands of dollars to attend a university, and after a year they were no closer to a degree than a community college student. They are just further in debt. There are a number of different degrees available from four year universities; the options are far fewer at a community college. Community college programs offer Associate of Arts degrees.

These Associate of Arts degrees are extremely helpful when it comes to transferring or pursuing a higher education later on. Community colleges are known for giving nontraditional students many convenient ways to obtain a career. Married students, students with children, or even students who work full time may not have the time or the finances to complete a 4 year program. Furthermore, Community colleges offer vocational certificates in varies fields. These certificate programs are designed to prepare a student for an entry-level job upon completion of the program. Students may decide to take only a couple of semesters to get a certificate in a certain field such as nursing, welding, or surgical technology. Nontraditional students may benefit from one of the many certificate programs offered at a community college.

Universities, however, only offer four years programs or bachelors degrees. They do not offer courses in vocational education, so they are best for students who plan on going into business or education. The environment between a community college and a four year university differs greatly. For example, community college tends to have fewer students per class, which mean students can have more opportunity to interact with their teacher and vice verse. Teachers with smaller classes are able to spend more time making sure that all the students get a quality education in their classroom. Likewise, if students have questions they may feel more comfortable asking them in a smaller and more intimate setting. On the other hand, a university lecture hall can hold hundreds of students, all participating in a single class. The professors are always busy doing research and keeping up with their professor status, which means no time to interact with their students.

In conclusion, because of community college is more affordable, still have different options for 2 years degrees and have smaller classes, the community college is a better choice than universities for high school students. People can save lot money going to community college for their first two years, so they can put the saved money toward to the two or four more years to universities classes for their a Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees and or Doctorates.