Community colleges offer a wide range of courses, including many that are taught in four-year schools. According to the Community College Review website, most students attending community college pursue one of four courses of study. They seek a associate degree in their chosen field, they attend a transfer program to earn credits toward a four-year school; they earn a one-year certificate in a vocational field or they take continuing education classes. The Community College of Philadelphia, for example, has numerous Associate in Arts degree programs including those in education, liberal arts and music; it also has Associate in Science programs and Associate in Applied Science programs. It offers certificate programs in such areas as leadership studies, computer-assisted design technology and management, and proficiency certificate programs in automotive service, cooking, digital imaging and medical insurance billing, among others.
Community colleges give students who have not picked a major the opportunity to complete their general studies work while they decide. Students also can work while they attend community college, take distance-learning courses and take courses as at slower pace. Community colleges often will accept students whose grades are too poor to be considered at private or public four-year schools. Students can build up their GPAs while earning course credit. Community colleges also are options for students who want a career-oriented degree instead of a four-year degree.
Community colleges do not provide the same college experience as four-year schools. The social atmosphere and independence offered by living on campus and away from home also has value for students. Many community colleges do not have athletic programs or other extra-curricular activities that enhance the college experience, such as fraternities and sororities, music groups or clubs. And students who plan to transfer to four-year schools must make sure their coursework is transferable and will be counted as required credits at their school of choice. A specific community college may not have an agreement the four-year school at which the student hopes to complete her studies. If a student only plans to attain an associate degree, she may find she is not as competitive in the job market as someone with a bachelor's degree in the same field.
Community college students can live at home while taking general studies courses, completing this part of their education at a lower cost than at a four-year school. The National Center for Education Statistics study reported that annual tuition and fees at community colleges were considerably less than half of what public four-year colleges cost. The Community College Review website estimated that a student can save as much as $80,000 by attending a community college for two years before transferring to his preferred four-year private school. Much of that savings was tuition, housing and interest on student loans.