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 Starting College from Home
by Tom Campbell
May 17, 2007
“Where are you going next year?” The questions begin before the start of the senior year of high school. More and more seniors are opting to spend their first year or two of higher education at their local community college, and well they should.
This “back to the future” approach makes sense for several reasons. In essence it is a return to the concept of junior colleges offering the first two years of higher education, with students transferring to universities after deciding what is best for them.
Many of our community colleges have available classroom space and they have demonstrated willingness for a variety of class offerings that will accommodate working students. So long as the quality of instruction and grading standards are comparable with public or private universities, there is no reason students cannot take core curriculum courses in this manner. Our universities are complaining of severe shortages of classroom and dorm space, so having students delay matriculation should be beneficial. We are told many of our high school students need remediation courses in basics like English and math. Certainly our community colleges can provide this beneficial service. Universities could then focus on those areas they appear to prefer, namely a wider variety of electives, junior and senior level offerings, and graduate courses.
The bottom line is whether or not attending community college for the first year or two will benefit the student and, while it might not be right for everyone; there are solid reasons to encourage them to choose the community college route. The most obvious is a cost savings of thousands of dollars. Cost savings are multiplied when the student is able to live at home and may be able to work part-time. But the benefits go far beyond economic considerations.
The choice of a university and course of study are two of the major decisions a young person is asked to make. An 18 year-old may not be ready to make such big commitments. Data suggests many who do so later change their minds, sometimes prolonging the traditional four years to graduate. Attending community college first to take core courses can be a small-step decision that leaves options open for when the student might be more mature and more ready to make larger choices. This is not a lesser choice, but an option equal (or perhaps greater) in value to immediately matriculating to a college upon graduation from high school.
Closer cooperation between our public schools, community colleges, and universities is an important element in this discussion. There is recent evidence of improved interaction between the three, a positive development. Our goal as a state should be for each of our citizens to obtain the maximum level of education they desire and are capable of attaining. Certainly the trend of students choosing to take their first year or two at a community college is a valued option that deserves support and encouragement. |
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