Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've met some adults who cannot bear the thought of sending their kids to one -- and this includes middle-class parents of both high-achieving and average students. I know that some community colleges are, shall we say, less than rigorous. (The ones here run the gamut from horrible to excellent). But I also know that CC can be a place where some kids get their academic sea legs after a lackluster high school experience, where some kids get a cheaper two-year education before transferring to a four-year college, or where some can get solid vocational training in any number of fields. Yet the stigma remains widespread I think: community college is for dummies, so if you have to go, you're either lazy, stupid, or poor.
Is that the stigma where you live? Do kids at CC get the same respect that kids get for attending a four-year college?
I don't believe there is a stigma. With the price of tuition so high at 4 year colleges, it makes sense financially for many people. Plus if you transfer to a 4 year college, your degree from that 4 year college is the same as if you attended all 4 years. If you only attend junior college, that degree is better than a high school diploma. I think the best value in education is a public university or junior college, commuting from home. You get all the benefits without having to pay to live on campus. And for a real education let them pay their own way with work and student loans while living for free at home.
I think there is to an extent. It depends on the area.
Where I taught there was not much stigma because so many of the graduates went to the local CC (mostly because they couldn't get into a regular 4 year college, even ones with almost open admissions).
Now, students who graduated from the science and tech magnets in the school system would have hidden their faces in shame if they went to the CC.
Status:
"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
(set 2 days ago)
35,604 posts, read 17,935,039 times
Reputation: 50633
I agree, there is a stigma.
I went that route, and actually, wouldn't recommend it at all. There is SO MUCH growth that takes place freshman year of college, being away from your parents and being exposed to people you didn't know existed before. If you spend that first year at home, you don't get that, at all, and most 4 year universities don't require sophomore transfers to live in the dorm for the first year, so you miss out on the very close social bonding and community that comes with dorm life. Transfer students are much more isolated.
I went that route, and actually, wouldn't recommend it at all. There is SO MUCH growth that takes place freshman year of college, being away from your parents and being exposed to people you didn't know existed before. If you spend that first year at home, you don't get that, at all, and most 4 year universities don't require sophomore transfers to live in the dorm for the first year, so you miss out on the very close social bonding and community that comes with dorm life. Transfer students are much more isolated.
I lived at home and worked in the dorm kitchen. I pitied people who lived in the dorm. My son's friend went to Yale and lived in a dorm and my son visited and took pictures. His room was constructed of shiny tan painted concrete blocks. It looked like a prison cell to me. I worked in the dorm kitchens as a student. If the students knew some of the health violations they would have rioted. On one occasion the plumbing backed up and the kitchen was filled with floating turds. By and large the dorm food was good, but I ate it for free on days I worked there. Living at home I had great comfortable accommodations and privacy. By the time I was a junior I could afford my own studio apartment close to campus. I was on the Crew and the fencing teams. I was in the Air Force ROTC. I worked 20 hours a week and full time in the summers. I dated. I got drunk at the college beer parlor. Went to off campus clubs and bars. I'd like to know what I missed out on, but I don't think I missed out on anything.
I'm not saying whether it's justified, but there is.
100%. A good bit of it is justified IMO. While being coy about where I've taught a few semesters of CC economics - it was horrifying...........a pervasive dearth of math skills made teaching micro at decent pace and rigor impossible.
That said a buddy currently teaches CC econ. at a different school covering the same material as his university classes. The only difference is grading is a bit more lax.
Yes, with the caveat that if the community college is just at the beginning and then you transfer credits and ultimately graduate from a traditional 4-year college, you will be fine.
If you just get an associates from a community college, then there will be a stigma associated with it, and outside of trade or administrative fields, you will not be competitive for many types of jobs.
But if you do 2 years at a CC and then transfer credits and graduate from a traditional 4 year college, the only thing that will be on your resume/CV will be the final degree from the traditional university. Then you will avoid any stigma. There will be some stigma while you are attending the Community College, but who cares. When you ultimately end up graduating from a 4 year college the stigma will be completely gone.
I have a former medical school colleague who started out at a community college right after high school, and then transferred to his state university. Ended up with great grades and ultimately graduated with a BS in Biochemistry. Went onto medical school, and is now a physician. You think anyone cares about his 2 years in CC right out of high school?
I went that route, and actually, wouldn't recommend it at all. There is SO MUCH growth that takes place freshman year of college, being away from your parents and being exposed to people you didn't know existed before. If you spend that first year at home, you don't get that, at all, and most 4 year universities don't require sophomore transfers to live in the dorm for the first year, so you miss out on the very close social bonding and community that comes with dorm life. Transfer students are much more isolated.
Right, the social aspects would likely be a challenge for a community college transfer. But joining student clubs, activities, etc, I'm sure they could make a good group of friends. Ultimately, as long as you end up graduating from a traditional 4 year university, career-wise, you will not face the stigma that someone with only a community college Associates degree will. That is the more important issue, IMO; although I do agree that college is a social experience that everyone should have.
I've met some adults who cannot bear the thought of sending their kids to one -- and this includes middle-class parents of both high-achieving and average students. I know that some community colleges are, shall we say, less than rigorous. (The ones here run the gamut from horrible to excellent). But I also know that CC can be a place where some kids get their academic sea legs after a lackluster high school experience, where some kids get a cheaper two-year education before transferring to a four-year college, or where some can get solid vocational training in any number of fields. Yet the stigma remains widespread I think: community college is for dummies, so if you have to go, you're either lazy, stupid, or poor.
Is that the stigma where you live? Do kids at CC get the same respect that kids get for attending a four-year college?
Many immigrant parents in my area deliberately send their kids to the local community college to save money on the first two years and to drive up their GPAs before transferring to more rigorous Bachelors programs as juniours. (That is if they hadn't already earned the credits in high school.)
These are students that are above average but did not get the top 10% spots or bright students that have conservative parents that don't like the idea of sending their 17-year-olds someplace where they won't have some control. After sophomore year, these kids cram into the local commuter college (University of Texas, Dallas), ace their BA then pursue their master's degrees at some pretty impressive and expensive places with all the money they saved. Many remain at the local school as it gives scholarships for its masters and STEM programs.
Rinse and repeat for a couple of decades and this commuter school has become a local STEM and Business powerhouse and I have no doubt will be a choice school for many in another decade or two .
I learned this strategy from a co-worker that went this route and is currently a C-Suite executive at a national investment firm. As long as you don't stop there, nobody ever has to know you attended one. And when it comes to employment, most employers won't care where you spent your sophomore year. They are missing out on the true college experience but these schools do not attract those that are looking for that anyway.
Moral of the story: There are many paths to success. Some include community college.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
