I want to get back to the roots of this blog, which is personal finance for college students and students and new graduates. I want to help you guys make smart decisions, by sharing information and letting you decide for yourselves what would work best.
There are so many magazines listing the best 4 year universities, which can be a bit helpful for some high school seniors. I want to show some solid community colleges as an option to consider too.
Do Community Colleges Help or Hurt Your Career?
I spent some time this weekend comparing notes with other about college choices and outcomes. It’s funny how when you look back on some of your simple choices, that they had a huge effect on matters.
The topic of community college came up. Both my husband and I attended a community college before transferring to a four year university nearby. It has helped us financially and career wise. The community college we attended was in the vicinity of 3 universities. Some of the same professors from my community college also were teaching at the university, so it wasn’t a hard adjustment.
Why Choose Attending a Community College?
Attending a community college can be a smart move for many people looking for better career options.
- Cost: Community colleges cost less than a typical university and they are extremely cheap if you’re an in-state student. Saving money for two years can be a huge boost.
- Flexibility: Many community colleges have non-traditional students and have class schedules designed to accommodate their needs.
- Career training: There are some great certificate and applied associates offered in some community colleges. Not all good paying career require a 4 year degree; you can find solid paying jobs with two year degrees.
List of the Top Community Colleges
Check out the rest of the best community college list at Washington Monthly.
Source: Washington Monthly
As you can see with the list, many community colleges are highly affordable.
Run the Numbers for Community College
Don’t fall into the trap of avoiding a great community college because you think it’ll hurt your career. In actuality, a solid education from a community college can help you get into your career quicker and/or prepare you well for a university without paying the higher tuition for 2 years.
Don’t get yourself into a huge amount of debt. Keep your college expenses as low as possible. If you’re smart, you’ll still seek out as many scholarships as you can and try to earn some money while attending school.
What are your thoughts?
Have you attended a community college? Has it helped or harmed your career? What tips do you have on making the most out of community college?
