Stay close, go far
The benefits of a community college education
After graduating from high school, students going on to college would be wise to consider the merits of attending a local community college. For anyone uncertain about which career path to follow, these schools allow students the chance to explore different fields of study, change their minds, or switch to another program.
Students can experience less anxiety as they make the transition from high school to college through a community college program. The acceptance rate for these schools is 100%, SATs/ACTs are neither required nor recommended, and there are no lengthy personal essays to write.
Rather than living in a college dorm, most students continue to live at home. This helps them save money on everything from food to lodging to laundry. They will, however, need reliable transportation to get back and forth to the campus.
Students in degree programs will graduate with either an Associate of Arts Degree (A.A.) or an Associate of Science Degree (A.S.). Part-time students may enroll in as many classes as they wish on a pay-as-you-go basis. Many of them are working towards a Board of Regents Certified Certificate and will join the workforce after graduation. Others, many of whom are older students, are leisure learners looking for personal fulfillment and enrichment.
The tuition at a community college is a significant advantage. “This is the most affordable education,” states Leigh Appleby, director of communications, Connecticut
State Colleges and Universities. FastWeb.com reports that community college is less than half the cost of a public four-year college and one-tenth the cost of a private one.
An incentive for first year full-time students who are taking twelve credits is the Last Dollar Funding PACT program, in which eligible students can cover the monetary gap between federal and state grants (Pell and Roberta Willis grants) and tuition and mandatory fees. Sixty percent of these students have no out-of-pocket costs; for ten percent, the coverage is seventy-five percent.
Students who attend a community college may use it as a stepping stone to a Bachelor’s Degree at a four-year
university. Some community college students are accepted at top-tier colleges and universities, and those who plan to transfer to a state university have guaranteed admission if they meet the requirements.
Some students attending community college fit their classes around their jobs and families as they prepare to enter the workforce after graduation. They appreciate the flexible schedules that allow them to take evening, early morning, Saturday, and online classes.
Another advantage is the smaller class size. “We have dedicated faculties that devote time and attention to their students,” says Appleby.
The student-faculty ratio at a typical community college is between sixteen to eighteen students per professor. Students spend less time in classrooms than at fouryear colleges, have lighter workloads, and have more independent versus group study.
Community colleges offer a rich campus life with cultural events such as live performances, festivals, and guest speakers. They also have a wide array of student clubs and organizations and state-of-the-art computer labs and libraries. Interactive language facilities, tutoring, and writing centers are available at no cost to qualifying students, as are counseling centers to help those who need assistance with academic planning and transferring.
Among the numerous degree programs offered, the most popular are said to include General Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Nursing, and Engineering Science with Psychology and Business Studies for transfer students.
Machine Technology, Business Administration, Early Childhood Education, Health Career Pathways, Culinary Arts, Accounting, Human Services Management, Marketing, Therapeutic Recreation, and Paramedic are the favorite programs of students working towards a certificate.
Six-thousand full or part-time students attend Norwalk Community College (NCC). Its beautiful thirty-acre campus is divided into East and West campuses by Richards Avenue. Students can choose from about 1,000 credit or non-credit classes, or twenty-five certificate programs.
One program the school offers is the Hospitality and Culinary Arts program, during which students take thirty-two credits in classes including food preparation, catering and event management, food production, purchasing, baking and pastry arts, and world cuisines, including three credits in the Cooperative Education Work Experience. This certificate offers its graduates employment opportunities in the food service industry, from restaurants to commercial settings. Many students elect to continue their education and work towards a fouryear degree.
Those participating in the nursing R.N. program have rotations in different hospitals, and students in Early Childhood work in community settings as part of their educational experience.
Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) comprises two campuses: one in Waterbury and the other in Danbury. “We have a vibrant, diverse, and caring community of faculty, staff, and students,” says the school’s CEO, Dr. Lisa Dresdner. This substantiates their belief that “success is our expectation.”
Tuition at NVCC includes membership in the on-campus fitness program.
Gateway Community College (GSC) is the largest in Connecticut. Its main campus is in New Haven, and the automotive technology school is located North New Haven. The school offers an on-campus day-care for students’ children.
Housatonic Community College (HCC) in Bridgeport describes itself as “having a four-year feel to it.” The nationally accredited Early Childhood Laboratory offers a pre-school program for young children of students, faculty staff, and the community, as well as a laboratory setting and resource for its Early Childhood Inclusive Education Program.
By 2023, all of Connecticut’s community colleges will have merged into a single accredited institution. Norwalk, for instance, will become the Connecticut State Community College at Norwalk.
“We often hear back from students who have transferred to four-year colleges,” says Appleby. “They praise the education they received at one of our community colleges, especially the amount of attention they received.”
To learn more about Connecticut’s community colleges, visit beyouct.com.