You’ve probably heard a lot of negativity about a community college in recent years and how it compares to a more expensive education. While there are definitely some advantages to paying more for specific vocations – sometimes, those expensive college courses aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. In certain situations – a community college is the best choice, and it could be for you.
In this article, we’re going to look at four reasons why a community college education in the USA beats an expensive one. This is especially true for international students wishing to study in the US without any scholarships.
Community Colleges in the USA are Cheaper for International Students
First and foremost – this is the number one reason why more and more international students are choosing a community college education. Not every expensive university education is worth plunging yourself into decades of debt for.
You could actually find that your community college education is a great choice for international students. While projected earning might be slightly lower compared to those if you qualified from a well-known school, this might not offset the huge difference in price. You could find yourself earning more than enough, or a comparable income to those who paid for an expensive education a few years down the line – but without the massive debt.
According to essay helper online, More and more community colleges are starting to offer quality education options in a wide range of practical subjects. And the costs savings aren’t just down to paying less on tuition – community college could allow you to stay living at home and save even more. Also, many big-league schools are normally inexpensive city locations that could cost a fortune to live near. That’s not the case with community colleges that are located in diverse towns and affordable cities across the country.
They’re flexible
When you attend an expensive university – they normally tell you what you’re doing and when. While there might be a bit of flexibility, there isn’t normally much. Another big reason why you might want to choose a community college education is that they can often be adapted to fit around other commitments. That means if you’re a full-time parent, have a job, or are attending other courses – you can still fit your study in as and when you can.
Community colleges are often much more flexible with regards to offering night courses or allowing students to catch up when they have to take time off for other commitments. You can also stretch a community college education out and study part-time, rather than having to complete your courses within a certain number of months or years. This flexibility means you can carry on living your life while learning on the side and improving your employability. It’s a big reason why many community colleges are great for mature students who didn’t go to college the first time around, and want to get new qualifications but can’t afford to give up their job or career to do so.
You can find a bit more about the benefits of flexibility and more in this article.
The teaching might be more hands-on than you think
Many international students think that you get better professors and more one-on-one learning in an expensive university – but this isn’t necessarily the case. Studies have actually shown that class sizes are smaller in most community colleges compared to mid-range universities. This gives professors more personal one-on-one time with students.
Not only that, but professors aren’t normally doubling up with being researchers in a community college. Again, that means they’ve got more time to teach and spend time with students than worry about other commitments.
Community college is good for evaluating options for international students
Many international students drop out of proper college because they jumped in too soon, but at community college, you can ease yourself into further education and make better choices about your path. Because they aren’t as expensive, that means you can take your time to evaluate what you really want to study rather than just picking something and having to stick with it.
Deciding what you want to do as a career when you leave high school can be difficult, and it’s often a bit early for many students. When you take some community college courses, you can really take a step back and decide what’s right for you and earn college credits in the process that could help you if you decide to take a step up to an established college. If you don’t, you can try something else – and won’t have wasted a lot of money in the process.
While there are obviously advantages to an expensive university – they aren’t for everyone. It would be wrong to say that community colleges are the best for everything – but they really could be a much more viable choice than you think in many circumstances.
Hopefully, this article on community colleges was insightful and helpful to you. To know more information on studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students.
