On Community College

What is Community College?

A Community College is a publicly funded insitution that provides a limited higher education.

There is often a misconception about community colleges. That courses taught there are somehow beneat those at a university. This is far from the truth.

Basic Differences Between Community College and University

There is one fundamental difference between University and Community College. A community college only offers general courses, whereas a university offers the general courses and a specialized program.

Example

Say I was a student interested in mathematics.

The highest degree obtainable at a community college would be an Associates Degree of Mathematics.

A university program in mathematics would offer a Bachelors Degree of Mathematics, whic could expand into a Masters or Doctorate.

Why Choose a Community College Over A University?

So why choose a community college?

Several Reasons

Inexpensive

Actual Professors teaching subject matter

Convienient course times

Starting As A University Student...

When you begin as a university student, you have to take general education courses. These are courses that will serve as the base for your desired degree. Courses like Calculus, English, History, World Studies, etc.

However, more often than not, these are the only things you will take. No speicalized courses will be involved.

If Taken at a CC..

You will receive

Small Class Sizes. Rarely will a course exceed 30 persons.

Flexible hours. Courses available most days of the week. Very often with evening options as well

Courses taught by professors who are only there to teach. Not doing research or anything like that. This allows more time to be devoted to you

These people often work in industry as well. Engineers, Mathematicians, Nurses, Doctors by day, teachers by night/days off.

Example: University Physics I

Here is an example course, University Physics I.
Taken at Macomb Community College

12 Students in the course

Taught by a retired research physicist from the University of Michigan

Tests required the student to figure out a problem and explain all steps. Would get an explanation to why a problem was wrong.

Lab included in the coures, no additional cost outside of a small lab fee.

Universtiy Physics at Michigan Technological University

250 students per section

Taught by a TA

Scantron tests

Lab not included. Seperate course. Which means credit fee + lab fee

Benefits Being a Transfer Student

There is one other important reason. It is much easier entering a university as a transfer student than it is right out of high school.
Your ACT scores will be irrelevant, as will extra curricular activities. More emphasis will be put on your GPA.

This makes getting into a top tier university much easier.