Compare And Contrast Universities And Community Colleges

Improved Essays
When completing high school, one must make the overwhelming decision on whether to go to a community college or a university for post-secondary education. In this essay, we will compare and contrast community colleges and universities. A university and community college serve the same purpose, to educate and share a sense of community. However, the two also have distinct differences such as, in their learning environment, the tuition fees, and the requirements needed to be admitted. Choosing which path to go on when it comes to college is an immense decision for a student to make. A university and a community college, both are educational institutions designed for instruction. There are so many options to weigh out during the decision making process, and it is important to gather all the information that is available before coming to a verdict. They are both similar on many ways and differ in a lot of ways as well. it really all just comes down to what path you believe is right for you. …show more content…
When participating in either form of college, both will allow you to take courses that will help a student obtain academic credentials necessary for career requirements or further schooling. Community college and universities both offer the same classes as well; equal material is being taught at both institutions. In addition, you have the opportunity to get similar degrees, if not exactly the same regardless of which path of college you choose to take. Correspondingly, both institutions share the same traditional students typically ranging from ages 18 to 22 if they started college immediately. The students that attend both types of colleges do not differ; the type of student that may attend a university could also be the type of student to attend a community college. So student wise it will not differ to much on which ever college you choose to go

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    They offer a wide variety of tracts that aim you toward an associates degree or higher. Although you have to switch to a four-year college to obtain a degree higher then an associates, student still experienced their “first biology, physics, and chemistry” courses; just like high school, students are elaborating on the information they obtained in your introductory courses. “The community college system is America’s hidden public service gem”, Liz Addison states in the belief that community colleges are the key to our futures education. From a psychological standpoint, she argues that a two-year education experience offers the same growth and development for students that a four-year university does; both options help students reach their overall potential. Another positive note associated with community college is that it offers more freedom: freedom of class selection, social selection, and adventure.…

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Community colleges are relatively less expensive compared to campuses and usually were founded to help students from poor backgrounds access the same services as students in other campuses. The degrees offered in community colleges are aimed at training students to meet employer requirements. Community colleges are significantly improving their graduation rates. When the proposal about offering free tuition in community colleges it was aimed at benefiting the whole nation. The program was to increase accessibility to college education.…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Senior Research Paper In life you’re faced with all kinds of decisions that could change your life for good. Going out of high school to college is a decision that could change your life forever. You want to go a college that is going to prepare you for the professional world and the university that is going to fit you best. Which university is going to make you the best adult you can be.…

    • 1101 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Many of the students who go to a university look down upon students who go to a community college. In the article “The Community College/‘Real College’ Divide” by Kristin O'Keefe, she explains how community college is looked down upon and argues that community colleges are as just as great as universities. O’Keefe writes, “they had heard the message that community college was not a real college, and they listened”. Even though O’Keefe didn’t get to experience the community college as a student, she has experienced it as a faculty member. I agree with the article because it true, just because community college is in front of the name it doesn’t make it any less than a university, typical community college students have different experiences than university students.…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The community colleges offer a great program for students who are still in high school. Some people know it as “dual enrollment”. This program if for the students who are in high school that find their self’s ready to something more challenging. Most of these student’s who go through this program find their self transferring to a state university and they usually do really well as freshman. They are already prepared for the type of work they are going to have so they will end up having the better grade then the students who were not able to take this program.…

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Discount Dreams Essay

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Community college provides many benefits for those who are less fortunate. In the documentary, “Discount Dreams” it talks about community colleges and the advantages and disadvantages. It also gives some examples of a few people and how community colleges intertwine in their life. Community colleges have technical areas where people can go into and learn about the career field they want to study. Community college is a second opportunity for people across the states to get a chance at what they could not have before.…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    I personally think that community college is not easy and I can't even imagine how hard a University may be as well. In college we face a bunch of hard obstacles, challenges, stress, and even wanting to give up easily, but we have to keep our heads up. Based on the article, “5 Pressing Issues Facing Community College Students Today” there are quite a lot of issues students face when attending a community college. For example, the tuition, even though is just two years it’s still expensive.…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “Never in my life would I have expected community colleges to be called potential saviors of the economy,” says George Boggs. There have been misconceptions on the validity of Community Colleges and why it might be an option to some people. Parents, institutions, and the general public see this life option as second best but what most do not realize is that Community Colleges serve as more than a “second tier” institution, but as a metaphorical fallback net. The assumption is that most students leave high school and their parents are able and willing to continue investing in their education but most do not take in consideration of those who fall short of these financial requirements, those who are not ready to take the leap to the next step…

    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I realized that going through the same experience while applying to colleges, going to a community college would be a better choice for me simply because I would not have to pay anything whereas in a University I would have to stress about ways to pay off my debt and loan. I believe that in a time where every student is faced with the pressure of going to college, the best way to go if going to a University is too expensive, there is always the best alternative where you don’t feel so pressured and stressed and can enjoy your education…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In, “Two Years Are Better Than Four”, Liz Addison describes the importance of community colleges and how they have been helpful in providing quality education and experience to people of all backgrounds especially the people who belongs to minority groups and has a low standard of living. She responded to Rick Perlstein’s assumptions about community college coming to an end and being unable to matter anymore, with opposing statement, “My guess, reading between the lines, is that Mr. Perlstein has never set foot in an American Community College” (Addison, “Two Years Are Better Than Four”) and proves him wrong with reasons like anybody can easily join college and came out with life discovery experiences. Being one of the students of a community…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Also, it is a good opportunity to gather with friends, watch a good game, and show pride in one’s school. After discussing both community colleges and four-year universities, they each have their own unique traits, but they do have some things in common. Community college is a flexible option to earn a degree to take classes at one’s own time. Four-year universities allow a student to be away from home and fully embrace themselves in their studies.…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In a four year university students do not receive as much one on one assistance. These two factors play a big role in deciding which college is a person's best option. “The community colleges of America cover this country college by college and community by community. They offer a network of affordable future, of accessible hope, and an option to dream.”…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Other than the costs, it also would’ve been wise of the author to include statistics of how many students who were unsure of their future that chose community college and most of all a survey of students who chose community college due to rejection from a four-year university. In conclusion, author Liz Addison used quotes as well as personal experience to convey her points. Although, she claims that high-school graduates face a rather difficult path to a four-year university of their choice, there was a shortage of effective evidence that hindered her chances of fully conveying her point. Other than a slight difficulty in conveying her first point, she had a decent amount of effective evidence to convey her second point. Addison was capable of conveying her second point, which was defining the truth of community colleges through the usage of personal…

    • 938 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Choosing a community college vs. a university is simply a matter of determining your educational needs and what you need to expect to accomplish from the school. Maybe you are an upcoming freshmen, and not sure whether in going to 2- year college or a 4- year college. Where you can pick a two- year college, and may not be able to experience a life you cannot have in a university. Although both, universities and community colleges serve the same purpose, the two are very different. From, finance, to class sizes compared to fit around 15-20 students, and the convenience each school has.…

    • 1295 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    College is Not for Everyone Today, more people than ever are attending community colleges and universities. Often, a collegiate degree is a prerequisite to meaningful employment (Pincus, 341). There is even social pressure pushing many to attend. I feel that the university education system has many structural shortcomings, and that institutions of higher learning often do not have students ' best interests at heart.…

    • 712 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays