Community College vs. University

Friday May 16th 2008, 4:48 pm
Filed under: College, College Students, Community Colleges, University

Trying to decide whether to attend a community college or a university right out of high school is a question worthy of pondering. I’ve attended both (university, then CC, then university) and each has its pros and cons.

Class Size

Community Colleges tend toward fewer students per class, which means more student/teacher interaction. This is good for students who like access to their instructors so they can ask questions and avoid getting lost (in the course material or in the shuffle).

Universities usually have massive auditoriums full of a few hundred students, all of whom are trying to keep their heads above water and have hordes of fellow student to compete with for the prof’s office hours. Higher level courses have smaller class sizes (the riff-raff have been weeded out and those left have proven their mettle).

Campus Housing

Community Colleges rarely have on-campus housing to offer.

Universities generally have one or more version of campus housing in order to accommodate students, grad students, faculty, married students, etc.

Expense

Community College will put less of a dent in your college fund.

University tuition costs vary depending upon whether they are public or private, but are more expensive than community colleges.

Caliber of Instruction

At any school there are the amazing instructors and the dismal ones. It’s just the way it goes. I have experienced both kinds at two-year and at four-year schools.

A lot of great instructors teach at community colleges because they actually want to teach and not do the whole publish-or-perish game. I’ve had community college instructors who were there because they wanted to teach at a college-level and they were effing good at it. They could break down some utterly confusing and complicated calculus or chemistry or physics moment into its most simplified, basic form and with one eloquent statement sweep it up, explain it, and have it all fall into place, fully comprehended, in my head.

I’ve had university profs who were so busy with their research (which is, unfortunately, the only way to achieve and maintain professor status) that they were more like silent partners in the course and their TA’s did the actual teaching and question-fielding. But I’ve also had ass-kicking professors who clearly went into their chosen field because it is the thing that makes their world complete and they are happiest standing in classroom explaining their idea of perfection to college students.

Architecture

Community Colleges are rarely architecturally stunning as they tend to lack both real estate and funding.

University architecture is what we all think of when we picture a college campus: the buildings vary depending upon the decade in which they were built, but overall a university campus is usually far superior to its community college counterpart.

Transition Issues

The transition from high school to a community college is easier, but you miss out on all the dorm parts.

Jumping from high school to college isn’t as smooth as it could be, but moving away from home when you’re a barely legal adult and living sans parental supervision in a puke-infested dorm is the American version of painfully unmentionable tribal rites of passage. It’s a grow-up-quick, sink-or-swim, survival-of-the-fittest situation and it is what memories are made of.

Degrees Obtainable

Community colleges offer Associate of Arts degrees, nothing higher. However, they are extremely useful as a means to a transfer end: most general ed. coursework that a university requires of its freshmen and sophomores can be taken at a community college.

At a university you can be educated to within an inch of your life: they offer Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees and Doctorates. Go crazy.

College Life

Little or none at a community college.

Lots at a university. Sports, clubs, bonding with fellow collegians, you name it.

Posted by Alexa Harrington

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7 Comments so far
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I think there’s one other aspect that should be looked at. The “name brand” of schools can actually translate into a lot of value in the real world. Community colleges tend to not wow anyone. That said, I think that a really good story about how and why you ended up at a community college can mitigate those negative connotations about comm colleges.

Keep up the great work!
-James

Comment by James Connors 05.17.08 @ 3:07 pm

[…] Trying to decide whether to attend a community college or a university right out of high school is a question worthy of pondering. Ive attended both (university, then CC, then university) and each has its pros and cons.Class SizeCommunity Colleges tend toward fewer students per class, which means more student/teacher interaction. This is […]Read More… [Source: Educated Nation | Higher Education Blog] […]

Pingback by » Community College vs. University 05.19.08 @ 1:18 am

I think it is very important to discuss the pros and cons of community colleges vs. Universities. However, I don’t know if they are accurately represented in this blog post. I think each community college is different, and some are better than other. I attended a community college for 2 years before transferring to a university, where I currently attend. So, as you can see, I am experienced in both areas. I had an awesome experience at a community college, and would like to clear up some of the information.

Campus Housing

At every community college I have visited, there has been very affordable student housing (dorms). And at the school I went to, 95% of the housing (dorms or off-campus) were within 500 feet of the perimeter of campus.

Architecture

Many community colleges have as beautiful of campuses and unique history as universities do. If you don’t believe me, do some research and look at the pictures online.

Transition Issues

I think that going to a community college first (and still moving out of your parents house) is the best idea in the world! At a community college, the class sizes are smaller and more similar to a high school-sized class, the campus is made up of only Freshman and Sophomores that you can relate to a little easier, and community college’s are soooo much cheaper! And for kids that didn’t have the best GPA in high school or didn’t get drafted to play college sports out of high school, they can start at a community college and then move up from there. All around, I think starting with a community college is the BEST plan.

College Life

I guess this all depends on what community college you go to. But, in my experience, there was a huge campus life! There were the usual sports(football, mens and womens basketball, volleyball, tennis, etc.), clubs, and the school hosted all kinds of dances, parties and other fun events.

And the greatest part about the college life was that you get to know practically everyone on campus, so you always know about what’s going on and there’s always something fun to do.

Comment by Amanda F 05.27.08 @ 10:28 am

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Comment by Courtney Barnes Group 05.30.08 @ 10:59 am

thank you for your list. i found it rather helpful. i graduated from high school just about 2 years ago, and worked until i knew what i wanted to do. bc i wasnt sure as to whether i was ready for college, i took community college. i very much liked my govt & math teacher. i can’t say much for my english or communications teacher.

Comment by sarah 07.02.08 @ 1:29 am

Thanks for sharing this thoughtful list. Community college can be a great fit for many students, so I hope your list will help make some more open to the possibility.