The high school students today usually look for 4-year colleges to further education and tend to rather ignore the community colleges located nearby their homes. There is a misconception among a good number of students that community colleges are not worthy enough for career betterment. One of the biggest reasons of this misconception is the lack of knowledge that keeps students unaware of the exclusive benefits of enrolling in a community college program. Today, several community colleges in the United States are not only offering higher education but granting diplomas, certificates and even associate’s degrees.
In the year 2005, the community colleges in the United States welcomed almost 6.5 million credit students. In fact, such colleges today serve almost half the number of undergraduates in the United States. Several minorities and economically backward students consider community colleges to be their ideal gateway to postsecondary education. These academic institutions also give opportunity to working professionals and adults to enroll in traditional as well as online courses.
Diverse facets of a community college
Today, community colleges in New York have attained huge importance in terms of comprehensiveness. These academic institutions usually bring six facets of education:
Career education – A typical 2-year student who will be graduating with an Associate degree will make way to the workforce directly.
Transfer education – A traditional 2-year student will be transferring to a 4-year institution to earn a BA/BSc degree.
Continuing – The community is offered non-credit courses for personality development.
Developmental – High-school graduates not academically fit are offered remedial education so that they can enroll in college programs.
E-learning – Federal aid as well as pell grants are all applicable in case of e-learning. Suppose, if one is willing to pursue any course through e-learning from some other state, federal aid will be provided for out-of-state tuition.
Courses Offered at Community Colleges
One of the biggest advantages of choosing community colleges for furthering education is that they bring a wide range of career enrichment programs. Besides offering traditional courses on general subjects, the community colleges even give students and working professionals the opportunity to sharpen their knowledge in business management and health professions. Moreover, these colleges also excel in offering quality courses in religion and philosophy. So, whether an individual is planning to take a specific course for personality development or planning to prepare to switch to a 4-year institution, a community college has all sorts of courses ready for its candidates.
Why earn a Bachelor’s Degree from a community college in New York?
Although earning a Bachelor’s degree through a 4-year institution or any university was considered a popular tradition, drastic changes have hit the global educational arena today. The community colleges in New York have been established with the intention to look upon student’s needs, demands and expenses related to their education by offering Bachelor’s degree courses at affordable costs.
Well, some of the chief reasons why community colleges have attained popularity in offering baccalaureate degrees today are:
Community colleges have the ability to respond to the increasing needs of the workforce.
A community college responds positively to economic pressures faced by communities and students.
Community colleges provide smooth accessibility to higher studies by offering affordable degree programs.
Today, the majority of community colleges are offering professional courses through distance learning. In fact, several community colleges in New York today deliver online course lessons through modern gadgets and web-based applications to remote students who can’t afford to attend campuses.
Numerous courses are offered online related to subjects like Computer Programming, Designing, Media, Fashion as well as cooking. In other words, a community college is a perfect platform for one who is willing to enrich career standards or prepare for higher studies.
About the Author
The author Melissa Spears here explains why community colleges are ideal platforms for career aspirants. She has explained here all the benefits of enrolling in a community college. She also loves to write about the usefulness of MBA programs for career professionals.