Community College can offer bridge to higher education for students

Mia Brooks
MC 301 Contributor/Staff

One of the biggest concerns for American families today is how to pay for college. The rising costs of tuition at four-year universities have driven families to find other routes to higher education.

Community colleges were designed to expand students’ access to higher education.

But in recent years, they have been asked to put unemployed Americans back to work, quickly prepare students for specific technology jobs, and catapult others into four-year institutions, according a report by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

There are many benefits to attending community college, such as the money you can save.

According to reports by AACC, a year’s tuition at a community college costs less than $3,000 on average, compared to more than $8,000 annually for in-state tuition at a four-year college.

For the last decade, enrollments have been increasing faster at two-year schools than four-year institutions. Today, community colleges enroll 6.5 million degree-seeking students, or nearly half of all college undergraduates, according to usnews.com

Jackson State University has made it a priority to recruit transfer students by forming relationships with many community colleges throughout Mississippi and offering academic scholarships.

Attending a two-year school offers many benefits to students other than lower tuition costs.

Community college is a great opportunity for students to learn in small class sizes, improve their transcripts and to also test the waters.

“One of the best benefits for a community college graduate is that he or she will have a gained great sense of completion by completing their Associate of Arts degree. Most of them come in to the university academically mature,” said Paul Scott, JSU Community College Recruiter.

According to a study by Penn State University, 80 percent of students entering college admit that they are not certain of what they want to major in, even if they have initially declared a major. In addition, up to 50 percent of college students change their majors at least once before graduation, and some change numerous times.

Although there are many great benefits of transferring, some students say they have experienced some downsides.

Many students may lose credits when transferring due to a difference in curriculum.

“I wish I had just come in as a freshman, because some of my credits didn’t transfer causing me to have to stay in school longer,” said Tiara Perkins, a senior social work major from Moore haven, Fla.

Jimelda Elliott, an alumnus of Mississippi Delta Community College from Greenwood, Miss., said that adjusting to a new environment could be difficult as a transfer student.

“When you transfer everything is new to you. Everybody has already formed a bond and you kind of have to find your place. Sometimes it can feel like you missed a part of the college experience by not coming in as freshmen,” said Elliott.

Although there may be some downsides to transferring, it does not hinder any student from being successful.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 60 percent of those who transfer from community colleges earn a bachelor’s degree within four years.

Transfer students can overcome these obstacles by getting active on campus, finding a mentor and a club or organization that fits you, said Scott.

“I’m not going to let the downsides of transferring stop me because it’s not how you start but how you finish,” said Perkins.