Ariel Christie, a frazzled senior in high school, was delaying her college applications because of her fear of dealing with the complexities of enrolling in a four-year college. By the time she sat at her computer after gaining the courage to get her applications done, she realized how quickly the deadlines had passed. Defeated, Christie decided to take time off thinking she missed her chance of earning a high-quality education. Fearing that their daughter would get lazy and decide not to go to college in the future, Christie’s parents suggested going to community college as a last option. After following her parents’ advice, Christie attended Nassau Community College before successfully transferring to Purchase College as a sophomore.
“I genuinely loved all the classes I took at community college, and I still refer to the things I learned,” Christie said. “Nassau Community College was at about the same level of rigor as Purchase [College], so it basically prepared me for that aspect of college.”
Elizabeth Mehling, 22, is another student who attended Orange County Community College before transferring to Purchase College. Community college was able to help her better prepare for her education as a film major.
“[I] could not have succeeded in the Purchase film conservatory if I didn’t get ahead in community college,” Mehling said.
Millions of students attend community colleges to save money on tuition or to better prepare themselves for the rigorous workload at four-year institutions. In the eyes of Americans, community colleges are viewed as lower-quality educations compared to traditional four-year universities.
Students like Christie and Mehling go to community college thinking that community college is their last resort to continue their educations. Even with the stigma surrounding community colleges, studies show that student enrollment at community colleges is growing and will continue to grow.
Community college makes sense
Community colleges are a great investment despite the misconceptions surrounding them. They leave students with better opportunities and less debt in the future.
According to research by the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, 30 percent of community college graduates earn more money than bachelor’s degree graduates. Georgetown also discovered that 29 million jobs that pay middle-class income in the nation only require an associate’s degree.
Students also are choosing community colleges because it is financially affordable to attend. Community college graduates pay $3,264 a year, compared to $8,893 at public colleges and $30,094 at private colleges, according to the College Board. The Institute for College Access and Success calculates that only one out of five community college students take out loans to pay for tuition. The average amount of debt for community college students is less than $2,000 dollars.
Improves the economy
According to the study released by the American Association of Community Colleges, the net total impact of community colleges on the economy in 2012 was $809 billion. This is equivalent to 5.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Due to the income that community colleges brought to the economy, student productivity increased, creating 15.5 million jobs in 2012.
More students are choosing community college as an alternative
Community colleges have been growing in popularity since the start of the 21st century; studies show that from 2001 to 2014 postsecondary enrollment has increased to 32 percent.
Millions of students who went to community college were able to transfer successfully to four-year schools. The report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center in 2015 discovered that 46 percent of students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree attended a community college within the past decade.
Now that the cost of college tuition is constantly increasing, student enrollment at community colleges won’t stop in the near future. According to the Community College Research Center, there were 5.9 million students enrolled at a two-year community college in 2016. According to a study from the National Center for Education Statistics, community college enrollment will increase 15 percent from 2014 to 2025.
Takeaway
Other students like Christie and Mehling can benefit from an education at community colleges without having to fear the stigma surrounding it. Christie and Mehling were able to transfer successfully from their community colleges and continue their educations.
Community colleges need to be less stigmatized; the education offered there is an affordable option that promotes future success in four-year higher education.
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