English Language Learners Definition of community college : a school that you go to after high school : a school that offers courses leading to an associates degree.
A community college is a local college where students from the surrounding area can take courses in practical or academic subjects.
Community colleges play a critical role in workforce development across the nation. They have a broad mission to provide academic programming and skills training to prepare students for jobs or to transfer to four-year colleges and universities.
What is the difference between community college and regular college?
Community colleges often have much smaller classes, especially compared to the first two years of a university. Many four-year colleges will have lecture classes in auditoriums to accommodate the hundreds of students in attendance. However, community colleges have smaller student to teacher ratios.
In several California cities, community colleges are often called city colleges, since they are municipally funded and designed to serve the needs of the residents of the city in which they are situated. The New York state government required that the county transform its technical institute into a community college.
Across the board, community college is much more affordable. The average tuition is half that of a public university. Part of this is because community colleges are stripped down, avoiding things like big campus infrastructure and extracurricular programs that increase the overhead at large universities.
Compared to a traditional four-year college, a community college has several important advantages for students: an open admission policy, making it easier to enroll regardless of their prior academic record; lower tuition and fees; savings on room and board; and a more flexible curriculum and class schedule.
Attending a community college can be a good way for students to ease into the world of higher education and learn at their own pace. This makes community college a good option for nontraditional students like parents and older students who wish to balance school with family or career obligations.
When community college is described as “free,” it generally means there are no tuition costs to take courses. In some states, free community college is limited to low-income students, while in others, it is available to everyone. Some states offer this free funding for four-year college students as well.
While every community college is different and the individual professors play a large role in determining the quality of education, there is no real difference between a degree earned at a community college and one earned at a state or private college.
Community college tuition is usually thousands of dollars cheaper than tuition for private and public four–year universities. This total cost is only a fraction of the cost of a private college, and still thousands of dollars less than a four-year program at a state college.
Many students dont realize that if they plan on working while attending school, community college is hands down the best option. They offer far more night classes than other universities and more schedule options. The workload is lighter than a state school or private university and attendance is not usually required.
How do you qualify for free college?
How to attend college for freeApply for grants and scholarships.Serve your country.Work for the school.Waive your costs.Have your employer pick up the costs.Be in demand.Attend a work college.Choose a school that pays you.More items •Mar 17, 2021