Could community college be more advantageous than university?

WaPo makes the case for community college:

What’s wrong with going to a community college? How two-year colleges can be better than four-year universities.

The United States is largely segregated along education lines. Those who went to college usually know mostly other people who went to college, so they tend to think their experience is universal. Yet only three in ten Americans age 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree.

Too often and for too many Americans, the word “college” means a four-year degree. The two-year degree gets a bad rap, and so do the community colleges that offer them.

That’s especially the case among politicians and parents who themselves hold bachelor’s degrees. In their minds, the four-year degree is the only route to a respectable and rewarding career.

It’s unfortunate that community colleges suffer from such a negative stereotype because so many people who end up going to a four-year college—and usually end up dropping out—would be much better off starting or even finishing at a two-year college.

For one, small first-year classes and low cost of community colleges allow students to explore careers before committing to a major at a four-year school, all while they earn valuable credits. Community colleges could also be an end in and of themselves. Only 17 percent of community-college students end up earning a bachelor’s degree within six years of starting school.


 
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