University Versus a Community College

One major decsion one must make after exiting high school is whether to go to a university or stay home and go to community college. Although universities and community colleges serve the same purpose, the two differ in their learning environment, convenience, and admission requirements.

When choosing to attend a university or a community college, the learning environment each has to offer is a factor to consider. A university can leave a student who is unfamiliar with the campus lost. University campuses can be several miles in area, and each department can consist of a number of different buildings. Unlike universities, smaller community colleges consist of just a few buildings, and are no bigger then a larger sized high school.

Another advantage community college students have is the size of the classes. At a community college the classes are made up of no more then forty people. This can be an overwhelming advantage because this gives students a chance to interact with their professor, which provides an easier learning experience. At a university, the student can be placed in a classroom the size of an auditorium with two to three hundred people, possibly watching the professor on a previously recorded tape.

Convenience is another characteristic to look into when contrasting the two. Community colleges can be very convenient because of their location. One could stay in their hometown, drive ten minutes, and be at school. The choice to go to a university can leave a person paying rent monthly on a dorm or apartment that is still ten to twenty minutes away from class. Which leads to the next point, a university can be very costly. The tuition alone can cost a fortune. Then the person still has to pay for his room, board, food etc Without a scholarship of some sort, universities are virtually impossible to afford, even for the average, middle class family. However, if one chooses to stay at home and attend community college, the tuition is much cheaper. Then the person can continue living at home, under his parents roof.

Even if someone can afford to attend a university, they still have to get accepted. This can be very difficult for some students. It all depends on how tough the school is they are trying to get into and what type of grades they received in high school. A university can turn down anyone s application as much as they want. Before someone even wastes the time to apply, they first need to make sure they meet the universities requirements on the SAT and/or the ACT. However, community colleges accept anyone who wants to expand their education as long as they have a high school diploma or a GED. If their SAT or ACT score is too low, they will be placed in prep classes so they can get a better grasp at the material they did not excel in.

In conclusion, for the student who is attending college for the first time, it might be wise to attend a community college first. Someone could go to a university and experience complete shell shock and fail all their classes because they cannot handle the pressure. Community colleges are more easy going. They are more like an extra step after high school to better prepare someone looking to go on to a university.