On the second day of Christmas, The CollegeBound Network gave to me…

TWO-YEAR COLLEGE OPTIONS

Yes, I know I get a little giddy when I talk about college. But it’s only because I feel that a college education is something that can benefit everyone. I’m not saying that everyone is destined for an Ivy League education. I’m not even saying that everyone is destined for a four-year university experience, either. I do believe, however, that everyone deserves to give it “the old college try,” and that includes the option of attending a two-year college.

Community colleges offer countless reasons to start your education there. From reticent students to those who are really trying to earn a degree without breaking the bank, community colleges are a great place to test the waters with your academic interests or go forward to earn a two-year associate’s degree before you commit to a longer and more concentrated bachelor’s degree program.

For those unsure of their academic interests, or even if college is even right for them in the first place, enrolling in a community college is an ideal next step because there is little to no investment of time in applying. Two-year colleges do not usually require the strict application process that their four-year counterparts do, so barring classes already being at maximum capacity, you can enroll in a class as long as you have a high school diploma or GED. And since tuition is usually just a fraction of what you’ll find anywhere else, you’ll feel good about sampling a class here or there to find out what really suits your personality and your abilities.

For those who are sure of what they want to study, a two-year college is still a great plan of action when it comes to financing your college education. By enrolling in a community college, students can complete all of their general education requirements and save a ton of money that can be later used for a more expensive four-year school. The only thing that you have to pay close attention to is whether your general ed credits will transfer into the four-year college. If you are going to a state school within the same state as your community college is, this shouldn’t be a problem, as most states have agreements with local two-year schools in that they will accept all or most credits into their bachelor’s degree programs.

If you decide to go to a private school after your community college, then be smart with your choices. It’s a safer bet to take classes in the liberal arts and sciences, like basic literature or science courses, than it is to take classes like Survey of Video Games or other highly specific coursework that is not offered at other schools. A good idea is to look at the general education requirements of a four-year college—many curricula are similar in scope—and then plan your classes at your community college accordingly.

And of course, even though yesterday’s blog was so optimistic in talking about getting into the college of your choice, there is another big reason that you should consider community college: If you don’t get into the school of your choice and are convinced the admissions committee made a wrong decision, you can always try a semester at a community college and then apply again. After all, a solid semester or two in college is even better than SAT scores in proving just how well you can perform at the college level.

Did I get you thinking? Write a question or comment below and let’s continue the discussion.

–Barbara Bellesi