Education is by far the most important resource that any parent can give to their children. This is simply because proper education provides a firm foundation for a bright future. However, nowadays most people have the mentality that anything less than a university degree is not worth much. But is a degree worth that much? Or is it just worth the piece of paper that it is written on? Different people have different thoughts on the difference between university and community college. In the case of a community college vs. university, each side has its own pros and cons. The best way of choosing one between the two is by weighing them up.
Community colleges tend to be less diverse. This is because they mostly attract students from the surrounding local vicinity. Unlike in universities where the mix of culture is very diverse since the students come from all corners of the world, university colleges are mostly confined to one particular kind of culture. However, the larger community colleges situated in multi-ethnic cities trend to offer a wider range of diversity. A good example of such university colleges are those located within New York and its environs.
On the other hand, the entertainment scene in the two kinds of the institutions matters a whole lot. Normally, universities tend to offer a more entertaining recreation scene with a very wide variety of games, arts and even parties taking place within a semester. Evenings normally tend to be a very important time of the day in universities as this is when most of these activities tend to take place. The most one can do in a university college is make new friends but the level of fun can never reach that of the university experience. In that case, when choosing between the community college vs. university, one should highly consider this factor.
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy; but then again, all play and no work makes Jack a dull boy. Most university students are known to have too much fun at the expense of their studies. As a result, their certification is never as it is supposed to be. This is not the case with community colleges. If closely scrutinized, the level of education in most community colleges is normally higher than in most universities. This is one of the main community college pros in the community college vs. university dilemma. The workforce development programs used in community colleges are considered to be way more effective as they offer the students with the proper training. On the other hand, community college students tend to get more experience in the midst of their learning. This gives them an upper hand when it comes to trade or professional certification.
Another main point to consider when choosing between community college vs. university is the prices. Normally, community colleges tend to be way cheaper than the ordinary four-year university. This means community college students do not have to use up student loans which only end up stressing one at the end of it all. Generally speaking, the community college vs. university dilemma is not as difficult as most people make it out to be. Simply consider the pros and cons and choose the one that fits best in your case.
Read our response to "Is it better to go to community college first?" along with 5 of the biggest community college questions.