What To Do When Community College Is Not Easy

by Chad Agrawal

Unfortunately, attending community college is not as easy as many students expect.

There is a common misconception that courses at the 2 year college level of higher education are less difficult than those offered by 4-year institutions, but that generally isn't the case.

2 year community colleges are required to meet the same standards as any other accredited school, especially if they want their programs to prepare students for transferring to Ivy League, tier 1 universities, and so on.

And you don't have to be at the best community colleges in New York to become a top student and transfer to Ivy League.

In fact, many community colleges in California, Chicago and all over the United States strive to offer the highest level of instruction possible specifically so their students have the best chance for community college transfer to Ivy League as well as success in continuing education.

So it's no cake-walk, 2 year schools can be quite challenging, even if for those Ivy League Transfers.

As a result, some community college transfers may require the assistance of a tutor in order to pass classes and obtain the grades that will get them to the next level of education.

Tutoring Options Available to Community College Transfer Students

Here are just a few tutoring options that struggling students may want to look into.

Peer tutoring on campus

One of the best campus jobs for students allows them to use their own academic expertise to aide other students.

Some of these positions are paid and some are of the volunteer variety, but all offer students in need an affordable (and often free) option when it comes to getting help with their studies.

So you might want to see if your community college offers such services before you start shelling out the big bucks for a professional tutor.

Other college students

If you can't find the caliber of tutor you're seeking at the community college level, your next course of action should be to check at other colleges in the area.

Although many community colleges have peer tutoring or study programs in place to assist students in need of a tutor, you may be in trouble if you're already advanced.

For example, there probably aren't too many students on your campus prepared to tutor you in calculus or chemistry.

So looking for student tutors on a campus that has more advanced classes could be just the ticket.

And most undergrad and graduate students will charge you far less than a professional.

Teachers

Your professors are an excellent resource when it comes to tutoring not only because they know what's being covered in class, but also because they can see from your classwork exactly which areas you are struggling with.

In some cases you may be able to get help after class, or you can simply attend office hours with questions.

But if you need further assistance you might have to see if your teacher offers paid tutoring sessions, as well.

If he/she is willing to do group sessions for small groups of students you might even be able to cut the cost.

Online tutoring services

There are several websites that offer credentialed and degreed tutors for hire, virtually.

TutorVista.com, Tutor.com, and SmartThinking.com are just a couple, and they offer different options for services and payment so that you can find one that works with your schedule and your budget. Some students even consider taking their classes online. Not only is online school more convenient but it is also designed to work at your pace. There are several schools to choose from that offer online masters in accounting programs as well as many other technology certifications. You can browse through the web or visit this website to see if an online program is an option for you.

Professional services

As a last resort you can shell out the big bucks for individual tutoring services (often in-home).

This is generally the most expensive option by far, but it also provides individual attention you need from someone who has professional expertise in the subject that has you baffled.

And when you think about what you'll have to pay to take this course a second time if you fail (not only in money, but wasted time, as well) it could be worth the price now for a tutor.

This post was written by Chad Agrawal

Chad Agrawal is the founder of CCTS, helping students transfer from community college to Ivy League, tier 1 or anywhere else by following this community college guide.

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Community College Student October 17, 2012 at 3:34 am

I am very happy to read this.

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Chad Agrawal October 17, 2012 at 11:10 am

Glad to hear it 🙂

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Dan October 18, 2012 at 6:34 pm

Community college is definitely not as easy as most people think.

Reply

Chad Agrawal October 18, 2012 at 9:34 pm

Yes, especially if you’re in an honors program or when you want to transfer to an Ivy League school.

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