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Thursday, June 5, 2008
Who goes to community college?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The story about Atlanta Technical College got me thinking about two-year community colleges.
Many people have the misconception these colleges offer lesser programs for older, working adults.
Those views seem to be changing among high school graduates. Every year I meet more students who plan to attend two-year colleges. Their reasons are simple.
Many hope to save money. Studies show public community colleges are less than half the cost of public four-year schools and about one-tenth the price of private four-year schools.
Others hope doing well at a community college will improve their chances of getting into a four-year college that had rejected them. Many four-year colleges will focus on how well transfer applicants did in community college rather than SAT scores and high school GPAs.
Some students realize they can get all the schooling they need at two-year colleges. Community colleges offer everything from nursing to child-care to computer technology. That means in just two years, students can get all the training they need for a well-paying job.
How do you think community colleges have changed? Do you think more students should consider this option?
