Costs at a community college are much lower than four-year universities. According to the College Board, the average student pays $3,000 less for tuition and fees at a community college. Saving money is a benefit whether your parents are paying for school or you are using financial aid student loans, which must be repaid. Having less debt is a plus during your college career. A college degree is just that, whether it is from a community college or a large university.
Many students that attend a community college do so in order to prepare for attendance at a four-year university. The community college atmosphere is smaller than most universities and allows you to acclimate to the environment. You also get a change of scenery mid-way through your educational path. College is a different environment from high school, as students enter adulthood they must also take on more responsibility when it comes to going to class, studying and completing assignments. Taking basic courses at a community college prepares students for the tougher classes they face later in their degree programs.
Community college allows you to get a feel for the types of courses that you enjoy. If you are undecided on a major, you can take general education and elective courses that sound interesting to you. You may determine that the original field you sought as a major is not the one you want to spend the rest of your life doing. It is easier to make changes to your major at the beginning of your educational path rather than after you have been accepted into a specific department at a large university.
Community colleges are closer to most homes and allow you to attend school without moving away from home. You do not have to relocate to a new area, especially if you are in a relationship or have children that you do not want to move from their native location. If you are working at the same time, you can attend classes around your work schedule if the school is located near your job.
Community colleges give you more individual attention than most universities, since they are smaller. Class sizes are smaller, even in the general education classes such as English or math, which may have hundreds of students at larger schools. You may also be able to get to know your professors and attend office hours, while many universities use teaching assistants for office hours.
Women who attend a community college have even more benefits with attending community college, cites Dr. Dave Marcotte from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He discovered that women who obtained a two-year degree from a community college earned, on average, 45.8 percent more than women who graduated from high school. They also earn 12.2 percent more than males who graduated from high school without a college education.