Community College Vs. State College

If you are in the predicament that so many young scholars are of trying to decide your educational future, I am here to give you an honest opinion based on my own experiences. First of all, let me explain my background. After graduating high school with fairly good grades (almost good enough to make honors, but not quite), I decided to attend a state university. To be precise, I choose Georgia College & State University, noted as Georgia's Public Liberal Arts University. Upon graduating in the spring of last year with my BS degree in Psychology, I decided to pursue a MS degree in Occupational Therapy. However, there were several pre-requisite classes I still needed before I could apply. Since I had run out of scholarship money, I decided to move home to pursue my education at a community college for the year it would take to earn the credits I needed. Throughout the duration of this year, I have been astonished at the differences between the opportunities available at a community college versus my experiences at the state college level. I hope to explain to you the numerous differences and aide you in your difficult educational decision.

Professors:
At the state university level, almost all of your professors will have a PhD in their field. Not only that, but they will be actively conducting research, attending confrences, and, as a result, will be very knowledgable about their given field. This may make it difficult for them to teach the introductory courses because they are so far beyond the 101 level.

On the other hand, community colleges are more likely to employ professors who have a Masters degree or a ABD (all-but-dissertation) PhD. These professors are less likely to engage actively in research because of lack of funding and space at a community college. They also deal with more attitude from students, so they are more likely to have a bad attitude towards their students. This may result in limited social skills towards students simply because they do not seem to be excited about their working environment.

Living Arrangements:
Many state universities are requiring all freshman to live on campus for the duration of their first year on campus. This is because research has shown that on-campus living has attributed to higher retention rates and even better grades. While it may cost more to live on campus, it offers the student a chance to move out of the parent's home, test his or her wings, and grow a little more independent. All of these are essential for professional development.

Community colleges rarely offer on-campus living. This limits the students to commuting from their parents' homes or finding alternative housing arrangements. Staying at home right after high school might make the college experience feel a bit like an extension of high school, whereas finding other arrangements do not offer the student a safe place to experiment with independence. Instead, they are hit with harsh realities of landlords, monthly bills, roommate issues without Resident Assistant mediation available, and a host of other possible problems that may act as a trap for the student who is not yet ready for these grown-up responsibilities.

Connections:
State universities typically offer tons of RSO's (Registered Student Organizations) that are available to connect the students to others with similar interests. These may include groups dedicated to community service, religious groups, sport groups, academic groups, and a host of other types of groups. No matter who the student is, most state universities have enough established RSO's to offer that anyone can connect and plug-in somewhere.

Community colleges have a much slimmer variety of options. Because of the inconvenience of the commute, it is difficult to form a vibrant atmosphere where people connect and want to plug-in. This dynamic is unfortunately characteristic of most community colleges. If you do not already have friends at the college, you might or might not find them along the way because of this very problem.

Who will benefit from community colleges?
My purpose in writing this article is not to pursuade you that all community colleges are bad. Indeed, they exist because some people need them. If you did not do well in high school and you need the structure of your parent's house for another year or two, community college may be the answer for you. If you have some type of special problem, like a medical or mental problem which needs to be monitored closely, a community college may be the answer. My point is that if you are intelligent enough, ready, and capable, I would suggest trying a state university. It may be more difficult, but the quality of education and the experiences and connections you aquire there will make you more than just a graduate- they will make you a young professional, ready for the world ahead.