| While there are many distinct advantages that can be | | | | tend to reserve their spending to assist in academic |
| associated with attending a community college there | | | | pursuits. |
| are a few disadvantages that I would be remiss in not | | | | Community colleges in rural areas are much more likely |
| mentioning. | | | | than those in larger cities to offer housing on campus. |
| We all like to look at the positive side of things and the | | | | The lack of on-campus housing makes participation in |
| good in my opinion of community colleges, at least as | | | | sports and other activities a little more difficult than |
| a springboard for university learning far outweigh the | | | | colleges that are largely residential in nature. |
| bad. However, if you are considering community | | | | If you decide to make a community college your last |
| college as an option whether for your associate's | | | | stop when it comes to your personal educational |
| degree alone or have plans to move along to the | | | | experience you will be denying yourself a great deal of |
| university level upon completion you should see the big | | | | earning potential over the course of your lifetime. For |
| picture and not just the sunshine and flowers. | | | | this reason you should seriously consider the benefits |
| The first thing you should be aware of, and this applies | | | | that transferring to a university will present for your |
| primarily to those students with plans to transfer, is that | | | | educational goals. |
| you should always consult the college you intend to | | | | My largest complaint when it comes to community |
| attend next in order to make sure that the courses | | | | colleges when compared to larger universities was the |
| you are taking on the community college level are | | | | fact that there are such limited opportunities to take |
| compatible with the core requirements for the | | | | specific classes than when compared to those |
| university. | | | | classes on a university level. |
| In many cases they are similar enough to be | | | | You will find that you must remain within your |
| considered compatible but there are exceptions and it | | | | sequence of courses on the community college level |
| is better to find this out sooner rather than later. If you | | | | or you risk needing an extra semester or year in order |
| plan to attend a University that is located near the | | | | to complete the requirements for your associate's |
| community college you are attending you should check | | | | degree. Universities tend to offer greater flexibility, |
| and see if they have some sort of articulation | | | | especially in lower level courses that are required by all |
| agreement that will allow associate's degree | | | | in order to graduate. |
| graduates to transfer seamlessly. | | | | My other major complaint when it comes to |
| Many states are stepping in and passing laws that | | | | community college is the fact that they often have |
| require colleges in their specific states to accept | | | | much smaller libraries than universities. This seriously |
| community college credits as transfer credits in an | | | | limits the ability that students have to do extensive |
| effort to keep qualified workers in the state. | | | | research with the exception of rare cases. Universities |
| Some universities are even offering distance learning | | | | simply have deeper pockets than the average |
| programs to associates degree graduates in order to | | | | community college. |
| allow access to students who live a greater distance | | | | For this reason they will have bigger libraries and far |
| from campus to have access to educational | | | | more bells and whistles than the average community |
| opportunities that would have been denied to them in | | | | college. Hopefully we'll see this change over time as |
| the past. Of course if you live in one of these states, a | | | | well. |
| former disadvantage may now work in your favor. | | | | Despite the disadvantages that can be associated |
| Many community colleges do not offer housing | | | | with community college educations, I feel that they are |
| opportunities and most of those that do are still largely | | | | very much outweighed by the benefits that the |
| commuter campuses rather than residence campuses. | | | | community college learning environment offers. |
| Rather than spending funds on housing these colleges | | | | |