Is a Community College Right for You?

There are some cases in which four-year residential colleges aren't the best choice for everyone. Here are some reasons why community college is sometimes the better option. Before making a final decision, make sure that you are aware of the possible hidden costs of community college.

Money
Community college costs just a fraction of the total price tag for public or private four-year residential colleges. If you’re short on cash and don’t have the test scores to receive a merit scholarship, community college can save you thousands of dollars. But don’t make your decision based entirely on money, many four-year colleges offer excellent financial aid for those with serious need. If is best to see financial aid exists before writing the possibility of a four-year college completely.

Weak Grades or Test Scores
If you don’t have the GPA or test scores to get into a decent four-year college don’t stress. Community colleges are open-admissions and you can use community college grades to build your academic skills and prove that you can be a serious student. If you then transfer to a four-year school, the transfer admissions office will consider your college grades much more than your high school record.

Work or Family Obligations
Most community colleges have flexibility and offer weekend and evening courses so you can take classes while juggling other obligations in your life. Four-year colleges rarely offer this type of flexibility--classes meet throughout the day and college needs to be your full-time employment and commitment.

Your Career Choice Doesn’t Require a Bachelor’s Degree
Community colleges offer many certification and associate degree programs that you won’t find at four-year schools. Many technology and service careers do not require a four-year degree and the type of specialized training you need is available to you only at a community college.

You’re Unsure About Going to College

A lot of high school students have a sense that they should go to college, but they aren’t sure why and aren’t really interested in attending school. If this describes you, community college can be a good alternative option. You can try out some college-level courses without committing years of your life and tens of thousands of dollars to see if it is the right path for you.

Choosing a College: Big City or Small Town?

Choosing a perfect school is about more than programs and classrooms; it's also about the kind of environment the school resides in.  Deciding on a school is not just about what lies on campus; it's equally about what lies outside of campus.

Schools like Columbia, Georgetown or UCLA that sit in and around huge cities offer the prospective student an amazing number of opportunities – but don't dismiss the small town university like Dartmouth or Cornell.  When deciding on your ideal school, consider the strengths of big and small:

1. There's more to do in big cities and more to be distracted by.  A place like Boston or Chicago offers the student more chances for entertainment, experience and employment than could possibly be sampled in four years.  On the other hand, such things can distract you from your studies.
2. The financial implications are different.  Generally speaking, the bigger the city, the higher the costs, and rent in a downtown metropolis can be stratospheric.  On the other hand, if you want to fly home for a holidays, it's a lot easier to find cheap flights out of New York City than it is out of Ann Arbor.  Your plans for residence and travel could have a lot to do with which is more affordable.
3. Do you want to be a big fish or swim in a big pond?  In a metropolitan campus there are an endless number of things to do, resources to draw from, and people to meet – but you're also a small part of it.  If you want the opportunity to really get to know your fellow students and the faculty, a small town school might offer more chances to get yourself known on campus.
4. What do you like to do?  If you're the outdoorsy type it's a lot easier to get into nature from a place like Penn State – literally a bike ride away from several protected forests – than it is at Temple, which, in the middle of Philadelphia, is a bike ride away from a lot more of Philadelphia.
5. What are you going to do after your undergraduate degree?  For some careers, getting close to the action as soon as possible can pay dividends later, whether it's big finance in New York, public service in Washington, or high tech in San Jose.  However, some fields are more geographically diverse, and if you're planning on graduate school you might well want to switch schools after your undergraduate degree anyway.

Whether you end up in the Big Apple or Appleton, make no mistake that the city a school is located in shapes the school and the experience you'll have there.