In America, there are numerous colleges, universities, trade schools and technical schools. Some cause financial problems, some you’ll spend lots of time such as 4 to 6+ years and some you won’t. Community colleges are only 36% of the tuition and fees at a 4-year college/university, which make it more affordable than a traditional college (Snyder 1). They only last two years if you are a full-time student. Community colleges are the step brothers of four-year universities. They were placed within communities for local education that people can have easier access to. Also, you can get your bachelor’s degree faster if attended and transfer to a four-year college. Nevertheless, community colleges are on the rise since it is a shorter time period, …show more content…
They are an access point for education and workforce in town and are a real catalyst. Also, stats from the Department of Labor had shown that the job growth of how those with associate’s degrees were outpacing those with more advanced degrees. The courses offered in community colleges come up to STEM jobs and healthcare jobs which are the leading jobs right now. The leaders in the economy are looking for workers in these fields rather than literacy and related fields (AACC …show more content…
The federal funding contributes to the classes that are offered in these two-year and four-year schools. Also, from 2012-2014, older students, that were in community college, enrollment decreasing has been the most consistent and highest of all age groups (Juskiewicz 3). The “Affordable Care Act” and the “No Worker Left Behind” where federal funding that interfered with community colleges nationwide. In response to the decline in enrollment, many professors were laid off and their contracts were shorter and because of that the next school year the students were or could be without a professor. Also there was a $4.3 million budget deficit that hurt the community college system.
In 1960 there were 315 two- year institutions had enrolled 392,000 students, but by 1976, tactically tripled with 926 two-year institutions and above 4 million students (Breneman, Nelson 2-3). These were when community colleges became booming. For one, there were several reasons why the rapid growth: baby boom, pioneered the "open door" philosophy, and it is great for older part-time
She includes quotes from George Boggs, president of American Association of Community Colleges, who says, “colleges are going to have to adapt to serve this population,” and that “community colleges have been the most adaptable institutions around…they are very flexible in trying to meet the needs of the students (Sander 784).” Sander makes the connection for the reader that with the influx of baby boomer students colleges will be forced to make changes in an effort to accommodate
Because universities are extending the number of applicants they are accepting, a lot of people question whether community colleges still matter. Personally, I share Liz Addison, for¬¬¬mer Southern Maine Community College student and graduate of Royal Veterinary College in London, opinion that appears in her essay “Two Years Are Better than Four” published in 2007. In her essay, even though Addison rebuts Rick Perlstein’s perspective that community colleges no longer matter as they once did, explains the philosophy of community college, and recounts her college experience, she mostly focus on proving her opinion, stated in the last paragraph of the essay, that “college does still matter”(258). In other words, Adison thinks that college still
Community college is the next step for higher education. Sara E. Keene explains the path she took to achieve the american dream in Keene’s article “Higher education and ‘The American Dream,’”. Keene quickly becomes disappointed with community colleges because instead of helping break down down social classes, ethnicity, and other social barriers and opportunities they are encouraging them. Keene wants all students to be equally challenged to reach their full potential. Just like her professors Ted Hamilton and Paula Clarke challenged her to reach their full potential. Keene believes that remedial courses do not help challenge students to become successful. I agree that all students should
Community colleges and vocational tracks are not wrong about the high cost of traditional higher education. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, one year at a public, four-year institution costs upwards of $23,000 on average, while private institutions will cost nearly $10,000 more on average. Coupled with the fact that prices at public institutions rose 42 percent and private institutions rose 31 percent between 2001 and 2011, it’s not a shock that parents and students alike worry about paying for college. However, this won’t always be the case, as this rise in prices simply cannot continue the way it has. Eventually, people will be unable to pay the price that colleges charge. They will either settle for com...
American community colleges can be the start of new opportunities for the students that are able to attend them to advance their education beyond a high school diploma. A high school education is not enough to succeed in the middle class economy like it was in the past. This way by making two year community colleges free they would be resource that would be more widely available to everyone who wanted to advance their careers. According to The Editors, Scientific American " Community colleges are pillars of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. They train technicians for jobs in leading-edge industries and grant associate 's degrees that let students finish the last half of their higher
...accessible for all students. In his article, Murray states, “Employers do not value what the student has learned, just that the student has a degree.” (Murray 233) Similarly, employers often do not value where the degree is from, just that one has been achieved. Thus, community college is the quintessential choice to not only “break the norm” of a B.A., but to aid in financial stability while doing so. Addison’s counterargument strongly disagrees with Murray’s overall argument, that college is not necessary.
One of his reasons is college tuition is never free because someone [taxpayers] will have to foot the bill. He also brings up the point “Students from moderately affluent middle-class families attending community college can usually afford the generally modest tuition. Why should a sophomore who is attending a four-year college have to pay tuition, but a similar second-year student at a community college not have to?” He argues “The three-year graduation rate of full-time students is 31 percent; that figure may be understated because of data limitations, but the true dropout rate is almost certainly greater than the graduation rate.” He suggests that if community colleges already have such a high dropout rate, why should it be funded, it would be a waste of taxpayer’s money. Furthermore, according to The New York Federal Reserve Bank and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, as well as utilizing data from Bureau of Labor Statistics, Vedder says, “Half of four-year college graduates are underemployed — doing jobs requiring only a high school diploma.” Lastly, “Very-low-income students currently have no major obstacle attending community college — indeed, Pell Grants often will cover the entire tuition”, says
As we all know the current tuition of community colleges has change in a vase way by rising up every year due to lack of funds from the government to aid for school and among other reasons. President Obama announced
No matter the previous career path, preventive circumstances, prior academic history or lack of self-confidence, these colleges provide the tools for anyone to further their education. The common students at these facilities understand the importance of education because they’ve experienced the beast of life. One could argue that perhaps this understanding goes a bit deeper than that of one at a four year institution. Any way you slice it, community colleges offer the ability for everyone to academically arrive on common ground. This should be a triumph, not a
The two advantages are that you have more time to explore fields you want to study in and people who can’t afford college can get a college education. The two disadvantages are that there is a limited amount of majors and universities will have a higher expectation for two-year community colleges. In today 's society, there are many families that can 't afford college and have to take loans. The government should be able to take care of those needs. When people come fresh out of high school, a lot of people don’t usually know what they want to do with their life. There are reasons to why they might not offer particular majors at a community college such a budget and resources. Since community colleges would be free for people to apply to, it would be harder to transfer to a four-year
Although they are both a lot alike, there are many differentials of the two. Universities are known for having large campuses; consequently, resulting in large number of students in each class. While Universities can range from having 20-1000 participants at a time, community colleges usually have no more than 50 participants in a class. As a result of such a large class size, it is harder for a professor to be able to develop the one-on-one time with a student. Due to most co...
As the high school chapter is coming to a close, many students have to make a decision that will affect the rest of their lives. Hopefully, for many that decision is to enroll in a college and attain a higher education. However, as tuition costs rise, students have to take a second look at their options for a better future. A community college is that second look for many because it is the less expensive option. From 2007-2009, enrollment for community colleges has increased by 24 percent (“College costs and the CPI”). Students aren’t choosing a college for educational purposes because they are overwhelmed by financial issues. They are attending community colleges so they will be able to graduate with a lower debt. Some seniors have wanted to attend a certain university all their life and they work toward that goal through grade school; however, they are hindered by soaring tuition for that college. Students should be able to attend a private university if they mee...
The final assumption that is not as expressed as often is the thought that Community colleges have low academic standards. However, this is just simply not true. students usually have to take placement tests in order to qualify for college level work. Technical and special programs have high standards and students compete to enroll. Going off that, community colleges just offer extra support to students to see them succeed.
In the article “ Two Years are better than Four” written by Liz Addison she makes her claim very early on in the paper by stating that community college is the best option, because it has opportunities for any type of person. She goes to tell all of the advantages throughout the article. While in “College Prepares People for Life,” written by Freeman Hrabowski, states his claim being college teaches you more than just education but never goes on to tell you how college teaches you these things. With both claims explained, it is made clear that Liz Addison gives us a better look on how community colleges benefit everyone rather than Hrabowski barley mentioning his claim at all.
For something seemingly so obvious, it is often left out of the conversation. Rick Perlstein wrote about the change in “student life” and how it is “no longer all that important”(Perlstein), and Liz Addison wrote mostly about culture and the available beginning. Both fail to give justice to the central idea of increasing your level of education. Due to this idea, I disagree with part of Addison’s argument. If the purpose is to increase education, then how can two years be better than four? Technically speaking, an associate degree from community college is half of what a bachelors degree would be from a four year university. While everything has a starting point, where it finishes if often what is most important. The value of a start in community college, in my opinion, is that you can eventually get into a four year school you could not previously have gone to. I imagine Addison brings up her degree from the university she attended before mentioning the two community colleges she