Benefits of Going to Community College

Hey there! Have you wondered if community college is right for you? Choosing where to go to school can be daunting, and many people wonder if community college is a good choice for them. While on the other hand, some people look down at going to community college. Those opinions aside, there are benefits of going to a community college that shouldn’t be overlooked.

One of the biggest reasons people shy away from going to community college is because they look down on it, it’s not as prestigious as a university. While a community college is not a four-year university, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth looking into.

Knock Out General Education Classes

Most college students don’t fully know what they want to do for a career thus not knowing what they want to study in college. Typically, the first two years of classes in most degree programs are general education classes. Most of the time, it doesn’t matter what degree you pick, the general education classes are the same. It’s typically some college-level English, math, and a basic science/lab classes, regardless of what degree you are actually taking. Going to community college and knocking the general education classes out of the way.

Save Money

As previously mentioned, many students don’t know what they want to do with their career when they get out of high school. This feeling makes it hard to justify going to an expensive four-year university if you don’t know what you want to study. It’s been said that many students take longer than four years to graduate with their Bachelors degree. That means spending more money, possibly taking out more (higher amount) loans, and putting themselves in more debt. Community college is statistically cheaper and more affordable.

Many students have to either take out loans or get a full-time job while they are in college, whether it’s a university or a community college. This is mostly because financial aid isn’t keeping up with the skyrocketing costs of tuition. Many students also don’t have families that can or will contribute to their higher education. This means that students take out a higher amount of loans that cycle them in debt. Starting with community college allows a lower-cost education that students with jobs can pay for themselves without loans. This also means that they will have less to pay when they eventually transfer.

Greater Flexibility

Community college offers greater flexibility, especially when it comes to changing your degree or career path. Since your general education classes have to be done before degree-related classes, taking them at a community college allows you time to really find out what you want to do. It’s good to figure your degree out now in community college and be set when you transfer because if you start a degree path at a university and then change your mind, you’ll find that a lot of the credits/classes you took will not give you credit towards your new degree.  Meaning, you may have to take an extra semester, or two, to graduate and no one wants that!

It also allows you to decide if college is really right for you, which it’s okay if it’s not! (Feeling that way? I talk about why not going to college is okay.) Some people decide after going to community college that they don’t want to continue their education at a traditional university. There are vocational/trade schools, as well as professional certificates at community colleges. There are also high-paying fields that don’t require a degree, and entrepreneurial ventures are always on the table!

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There is nothing wrong with going to a community college if it’s the right decision for you. Although I didn’t choose to go to one, it was an option that I did look into. I just decided that it wasn’t right for me and what I wanted to do at the time.

Would you go to a community college? What’s your opinion on the subject? Let me know in the comments!

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