Going to a Community College

Being a graduate from high school can be exciting. Plans to go to colleges such as Harvard, Duke, or Princeton are always at the back of a grad's mind to pursue careers as doctors, lawyers, or politicians. But, from a new grad's point of view, there is so much more that has to go into college...money.  To receive a degree doesn't have to be costly.

It sounds like the "bottom of the barrel" decision, but it really is not. By attending a community college for two years to get an Associates Degree, you will be able to get a job faster, save thousands of dollars, and be able to prepare your way to a university. The standard amount of money that goes into a year of attending a public university is around $10,000 for in-state tuition in NC for example. At a community college it only costs $3,136.90, at the in-state amount. You save around $6,000 by attending a community college. You'll be better off saving for an apartment, a car, or to pay for the other two years you need to pay for your BA.

I know a lot of students that started their freshmen year at a four-year university, and then dropped out or had academic expulsion the following year because they did not put in the effort to manage their time between friends, school, work, and parties. That $10,000 went down the drain, and the only way they could get back into the university was by attending a community college.

Also, going to a community college is a great way for those that would prefer not to leave home. Just graduating from high school and getting into the "real world" can be very traumatizing. Think of attending a community college as a way to prepare yourself for the real thing. By commuting from your parents home you don't have to worry about laundry, electric bills, rent, and there is always mom's cooking when you get back from classes!

Hopefully this article let's high school grads think of attending a community college, before making it a last resort.

Hint: If you do want to attend a community college, make sure that you fill out an application for Financial Aid. Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to see if you qualify.

To find out more of the pro's and con's of attending a community college vs. a four-year university, read this article http://www.educatednation.com/2008/05/16/community-college-vs-university/ .

Comments and views are always appreciated!

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