Well, you might be sitting at home right now and wondering is community college worth it. It’s possible that you’ve heard a lot of the negatives and started to doubt if you want to apply to such. Yes, it’s daunting when you start browsing around for a college to go to. Graduating high school and going forward toward higher education is a decision that needs to be made with a lot of factors in mind. There are hundreds of great colleges and universities out there. Is the community one worth it? Let’s find out.

Community colleges are not only for those who are poor and cannot afford to attend state or private ones. They aren’t just for the people who plan on slacking and still getting some sort of degree. No, they have lots of benefits, including cheaper tuition and a number of different options. We understand that you might be in doubt and consider those schools less reputable and not worth it. It might be the case for some of the students in particular majors. But it’s not a one size fits all rule that deems community colleges unworthy. They have lots of benefits and many things to offer, especially for people who look for cheaper tuition, more free time or want to work during attending school. But let’s get this further down below.


Pros of community college

Of course, one of the foremost reasons why people decide to study in a community college is concerning their finances. Community colleges are much cheaper and some of them might cost less than 2,000 a semester full-time. In contrast, studying at MIT cost students 55,878 dollars on average during the 2020-21 school year. CalTech stands almost the same with 58,680 USD on average throughout the same year. So, you might find that you are much less in debt or even without such in general if you choose to study at a community college.

Another reason is flexibility. Yes, the flexible schedule is one of the main benefits of community college. It offers many schedule options and even night classes. Sometimes attendance is not even required. The general workload is also less. This is a great option for all of the students who plan to work while still going to school. You’ll find it much easier to suit your college schedule around your workload and other activities that might not be available to you if you go elsewhere. So, you’d be able to freely browse around paper writing sites all day long without any disturbance.

Also, with community college, you’d have more options to explore in terms of majors. Private universities give you strict programs that you’d have to abide by. On the other hand, in community college, you’d have cheaper classes and more opportunities to browse around until it’s time to make the choice of a major. As Vittana puts it, ‘By enrolling in a community college program, there is more of an ability to explore different career options because the classes are far cheaper than they are at comparable institutions. If you’re not sure what your major should be yet, a community college is your best bet.’

There are also lots of qualified professors. Not all of them, of course, but plenty still. This means you’d get a high-quality education that is costing you much less. You might be wondering how is that so. Well, it’s thanks to the flexibility, once more. Due to the flexible schedule, some seasoned and accomplished professors choose to teach at community colleges to have time to pursue their other interests. In addition, classes are much smaller which allows for more personal interaction with your instructor. They’d be able to give you more attention and will be more accessible for help. According to the Scholarship system, ‘While a four-year institution may have 100+ students in some classes, community colleges typically have far less, usually come in below 40 students in the classroom at once.’

In addition, there are many options to transfer. You can explore the curriculum in your community college, earn some credits, and later switch out when you make up your mind on where you want to go.

Of course, the workload will be much lighter, too. Sometimes you’d have very little else to do in addition to going to exams. So, if you need such a schedule, you’d do well with community college.



Cons of community college

Most community colleges offer 2-year programs. So, if you’d want a 4-year degree, at some point or another you’d need to go elsewhere. So, if you don’t plan on switching out, this might not be the top pick for you.

Another one of the disadvantages of community college is the fact that a lot of students are uninvolved. Many of them don’t plan to study any further, so, they don’t put in a lot of work. So, there might be a lot of tension among students, as well as between students and professors. You’d not find a lot of mental stimulation from your in-class and out-of-class activities and conversations with fellow students.

Also, while in state colleges and private one’s campus life is a big part of the experience, it’s not the case with community colleges. Most of the students focus primarily on work and some on their classes, which leaves almost nothing for campus life. For those of you who want an active and vibrant social life, community college lives up to the standard.

Conclusion

There is no hard and fast rule on what college to attend. You might go to a community one and start the next best reliable essay writing service, the latest educational trend, the most successful business in your town, etc. In general, yes, it might be less intellectually stimulating but college is what you make it. If you decide, you can learn as much as people who study at state colleges. Sure, there might be less of a social life but there is more free time for you to do what you see fit (or what needs to be done). After all, there are many pros and cons of both community, state, and private colleges. It’s up to you to decide which are you willing to take and where you want to go. You don’t need to feel less of a student in a community college - your intellect and knowledge are just as likely to go if you put in the work. Yes, your fellow students might not be the brightest and most motivated ones but this gives you a place to shine. Of course, the biggest two reasons are the much smaller cost of tuition and the bigger flexibility. It’s up to you to decide whether you want those, or do you consider it better the most traditional way.