Choosing the Right College: Part II

Although I recommend applying to both four year schools and a local (or not-so-local!) community college, you should have a general idea of which is right for you. Most people don't really have that great of an idea what the difference is. Community college is just a college without dorms, that typically offers only enough classes in each major to provide an Associates Degree (a "two year" degree). Of course there are exceptions, but for the sake of of being simplistic, that is the general difference. In general, most people looking towards a degree from a community college are looking at ones in their area, within driving distance, but I do know a few who have sought living arrangements, and moved to the area of their ideal community college. It's not typical, but it's definitely an option.

So let's look at the difference between a community college and a college or university.

Community college:

• Centered around commuters - Community colleges are designed to convenience people who drive to school each day. They will typically have adequate parking, a small area that offers limited food services and classes that are closely grouped together.
  
• Kind to Full or Part Time Workers - Most people in community college are also working while they're taking classes. Flexible class hours and less time in the classroom are typical.
• Scheduling Can be More Gas Friendly - Because everyone in community college is commuting and many are working, most students are able to schedule their classes on only two or three days a week. This is rare at a full time college or university.
• Price - Community colleges are typically thought to be cheaper than a full time college. Usually you pay for a community college per credit hour, AKA the more classes you take the more you pay.
  

College or University:

• A Place to Stay if You Pay - Colleges and universities typically have dorms, apartments or some form of student living. They're not always clean and pristine, but they can be cheaper than renting from an external landlord.
• Speaking of Paying - The tuition cost is based on taking 12 credits per semester. Taking 12 credits means that you are a "full time" student. Each class is typically 3 credits (although they all are different) so 12 credits is basically four classes. The number of credits traditionally equals the amount of hours you will be spending in each class per week. So tuition is the same, whether you take 12 credits or whether you take 18 credits. If you take less than 12 credits, you do not pay the tuition; instead you pay per credit hour, much like a community college.
• Parking Can Lead to Stress - Parking at universities is notoriously horrible. There are always too many cars for the lot. Scheduling classes that start early in the morning or later in the evening can help with this problem.
• More Facilities - A university or college will typically offer more of the "full college experience". There will be things like sports fields, full dining halls and more campus activities.  Community colleges also try to give their students the full college experience, but it's tough when people aren't staying around campus all day.

One popular decision is to spend the first year or two of college in a community college and then transfer to a 4 year school for the remaining 2 years. This is a great way to save money and a great way to give yourself time to figure out what you want to do with your life. Here's some tips when making that decision.

• Look at Your Desired 4 Year School's Course Catalog - Course catalogs are available on the campus website. It outlines every class that every major at the university needs to graduate. It's basically just the classes you need to get up and get out of there. Sometimes exceptions will be made, but you want to follow your 4 year school's catalog as much as possible. No one wants to be wasting time.
• Careful with Advanced Classes - Advanced classes are those that would be in the 300 and 400 levels at a four year university. These are classes that are typically taken in your junior and senior year of college. For example, ACCT 301 is Introduction to Accounting 301. The 301 tells me that I shouldn't generally take this class until my junior year of college. In most four year colleges, classes that you've taken at community college that correspond to 300 or above level courses at your four year school WILL NOT BE TRANSFERABLE!

Let me state that again. Classes taken at community college that correspond to 300 or above level classes at your four year university will not be transferable... will be a waste of your time and money... will be a source of immediate frustration.

So, whether you choose a community college or a university is really up to your desires after college and your financial situation. Both are very positive steps in the development of yourself as a professional, and that's what college is all about!