The Career Training & Community College Dilemma

You know, depending on what you'd like to do for a career, you may not need to break the bank at a four-year university. Career Training Schools and Community Colleges are widely available across the country and many of them may offer programs that can suit your needs better than their four-year namesake counterparts.

Do you understand the differences? Community Colleges offer 2-year Associates' Degree programs in a few majors. Many also provide vocational training and Professional Certificates and Licensure. Career Training Schools typically only offer Certification programs or specialized job training for specific careers. Students normally choose these types of schools for many reasons. Some students enroll and attend because that's what their desired career demands. Others do it as part of a transfer program to get into a 4-year university. Some do it just to pick up additional skills and become more attractive in the job market. No matter what the reason, these institutions have a lot to offer. Take a look below and see if a Career Training School or Community College may be exactly what you're looking for.

Lower Prices

If cost is a major issue in deciding your educational possibilities, then looking at Career Training Schools and Community Colleges is a great place to start. Because these programs are designed to be shorter, they generally cost significantly less than 4-year Bachelors' Degree programs. Because of the nature of the education, the schools typically charge small tuition rates per credit hour as well. Many of these programs are even available online, providing a higher level of convenience than their counterparts confined exclusively to the classroom.

Flexible Scheduling

These types of institutions generally offer students a considerably larger amount of flexibility by providing more night and weekend courses. There are also more part-time programs, designed to help students with careers and families. Another general principle behind schools of this sort is that they're close to home – eliminating the need to relocate and probably eliminating a fair amount of commuting to 4-year universities.

Improving Academic Records

If you aren't satisfied with your high school grades, or maybe you've started out slowly at a 4-year university, then getting your GPA back on track at a Community College may be just what you need. In fact, many students enroll in general education programs at Community Colleges specifically to raise their GPA before bulling into a 4-year university curriculum with a full head of steam. Just remember to hit the books hard at a Community College because many universities to have transfer requirements that they impose on students electing to take this path. Another benefit, however, to this decision is that if you're on the fence about a particular major or even career, the exposure you gain in a Community College can be the x-factor that helps you make the tough decisions about your future.

Remember This:

• Keep your GPA up.
• Make it a goal to be accepted into Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year schools.
• Start slow and allow yourself some flexibility if you aren't absolutely certain about your career goals.
• Find the closest schools to you that can offer the skill training you desire.

Back to The Academic Resource Center.