Community Colleges

Overview

Community colleges are a financially attractive alternative to schooling for college students. Many students attend the first two years of college at a community college and then move to a university. There are thousands of community colleges throughout the United States, approximately numbering 1,166. Attending a community college for two years will also provides the student an associate's degree or Associates of Arts degree, which you would not be able to receive if you began your college education directly at a university.

Benefits

The major benefit of community college is that it is less expensive. It is also easier to get admission in a renowned university after attending two years of community college as compared to directly seeking admission after high school. Many of these colleges already have tie-ups with well-known universities and this will make your transfer procedure quite simple. The major advantage is that they offer flexible class timings during the daytime, evenings, or weekends to accommodate your work schedules.

Costs

Community colleges are typically much less expensive as compared to the other schools offering the same level of education and this one of the main reasons for their popularity. The tuition cost of community colleges can be as low as half of that of the cost of a four year university program.

Schools

Some of the reputed community colleges in the United States are Broome Community College, Air University, Jamestown Community College, Bevill Community College, and Clark State Community College. There are many such community colleges that are spread throughout the country for the benefit of the student community.

Tests & Preparation

There are various testing and preparation modules required for certain programs that are offered through community colleges. These tests include aptitude tests for English language, mathematics, and overall competency testing. International students are required to appear for the Test for English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). It is imperative that you directly talk to the concerned authorities in the schools you are considering for admission in order to find out their eligibility criteria for the specific programs they offer. Some schools conduct placement tests to select students for admission.

Financial Aid

Students can take advantage of the different opportunities available for funding their community college education. You should call the school student finances or student loans department to inquire about the specific options they have. These options might include student loans, grants, and scholarship programs. There are many different scholarships that are offered to students. Virginia Western Community College offers scholarships to students. You can also avail grants from the Junior Fulbright Program offered by the Romanian US Fulbright Commission.

Community colleges offer Community College Transfer Scholarship to Latino students in collaboration with Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Almost all colleges in the United States participate in the US Title IV financial assistance programs to support students who are economically weak. Apart from this, there are many organizations that can help students with grants and loans.