College Tidbits Blog

Costs of Traditional Colleges Continue to Rise

For generations, it’s been a parents dream to one day see their child graduate from college.  If you were to take a survey today, you would see that the dream is still alive. Unfortunately, that dreams is slowly dying as a result of increasing tuition costs at our nations 4 year college institutions.  It simply has become far to expensive for parents to pay for their child’s education.

Perhaps you are one of the lucky ones and you started putting money aside to pay for your child’s education when they were very young.  Only to find out that the rising costs of college have far out-paced the money that you saved.  Now it is time to send them away to school and the only way you can afford to do so is to raid your retirement fund or take out a loan to make up the difference.

Community Colleges a  Sensible First Step Toward Higher Education

Community colleges have always been attractive to adults looking to continue their education, low-income students and those with lower grades. However, as the costs of traditional four year universities continue to rise, many young adults are turning towards community colleges as on option.

Parents, now more than ever, are suggesting that their child spend the first two years at a 2 year community college and then transfer to a traditional four year college/university to finish out their college careers and graduate.

Community colleges are perfect for people with cost concerns because the tuition is far lower and often the student can continue to live at home eliminating the added cost of room and board that comes with being away at a traditional four year colleges.

Other Benefits of Community Colleges

Community colleges can also be the right choice for a student who isn’t sure they even want to attend college or what major they would like to pursue. A community college is the perfect bridge between high school and traditional universities. In addition, a college student going to school locally at a community college, rarely has to deal with the distraction and drama of life on a college campus, thus allowing them to focus entirely on their academics.

Another fantastic reason to consider community colleges, is that they often offer specialized degrees or programs that can be completed in two years or less. Should you decide to forgo the remaining two years of college and enter the work force, you can use your Associate degree or the training you received the past two years to find a job and start making some money.

Some of the degree programs offered at local community colleges are in computer technology, automotive technology and the medical field. These training programs can provide students with valuable training leading to outstanding entry-level career opportunities to make a comfortable living.

Thinking About College?

The website www.collegetidbits.com has a list of several 2 year community colleges and a host of other articles about college in general. If you are thinking about college, this website can definitely help.

It has been the dream of most parents for generations that their child one day is lucky enough to go to college. Unfortunately only 63% of high school students in the United States go on to college, and many more do not finish their degree.

There are many reasons why a high school graduate may not immediately attend a state private university, with the cost factor often rating highest on the list. An outstanding alternative for young adults who do not have a traditional four year university as on option are community colleges.

Many students contemplating their collegiate options do not know the reasons why one of the many community colleges across the nation may be a better fit for them than a traditional four year university. Tuition at major colleges has increased exponentially over the years and far surpasses the rate of inflation in the rest of the economy.

Many students do not want the burden of graduating from one of these universities with a huge debt of financial aid. Community colleges are perfect for people with this concern because tuition is far lower and the added cost of room and board is never an issue.

Community colleges can also be the right choice for a student who isn’t sure about college or what major they would like to pursue. A community college is the perfect bridge between high school and traditional universities, since the focus is entirely on academics without the distraction and drama of college life.

A community college student is free to pursue their academic career and usually still often live comfortable lives at home. Due to the low cost of community colleges, they also allow a student to pursue many different avenues toward finding a possible career path that may interest them.

Another solid reason community colleges can be a good choice is that they often offer specialized degrees or programs that can be completed in two years or less. Many students arrive at a community college with their career aspirations already set, and those sometimes do not involve a bachelor’s degree.

Degree programs in electronics, computer repair, or construction technology can offer a student outstanding opportunities to make a comfortable living in their chosen field. The added benefit of these specialized programs is that many students also are able to secure entry level work in these fields while attending community colleges, learning both on the job and in the classroom.

Today’s Guest Blogger: Kelly Kilpatrick

More and more, we are hearing in the news and other sources online that 4-year college degrees are not as valuable as they once were.

This trend is due to many factors, and among them is the fact that students go to college simply because it is expected of them, not because they actually want to go.

In days past, students took aptitude tests that determined their specific interests, as well as their strengths and weaknesses, and then chose institutions that would help them hone their skills.

Although many schools still use this method of determining what students should do after graduating high school, the current trend is to get students to at least try going to college first…Read more