Is Community College Bad?

I’ll be honest. I NEVER considered going to community college instead of university. Why? Probably for the same reasons that you’re worried about. I was afraid of being looked down on, being stuck in a small town, and missing out on typical college experiences. Looking back, I wish I had read an article like this one explaining all the reasons why a community college is a great option. So to answer your question, no, going to community college is not bad. There are many reasons why going to community college might be right for you.

1. Community College is Cheaper

Most people know that attending community college is cheaper than university, but many underestimate just how much cheaper it really is. Costs vary, but here are a few examples. 

University	Cost of Tuition (per credit hour)	Community College	Cost of Tuition (per credit hour)	Savings (per credit hour)
Arkansas State University	$218	Southern Arkansas University Tech	$108	$100
University of Arkansas	$256	University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana	$79	$177
University of Central Arkansas	$227	Northwest Arkansas Community College	$135	$92

To summarize, if you went to the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana instead of the University of Arkansas, you could save $5,310 in tuition if enrolled as a full-time student (30 credit hours) for a year. You could spend that money on a new laptop, rent, travel, or a car! Community colleges also typically charge less in fees, saving you even more money per year.

2. You Don’t Have to Live in a Dorm

Most universities have a policy that makes it mandatory for incoming freshmen to live in a residence hall on-campus. This is because data shows that there are academic and social benefits to living on-campus. For example, students who live on-campus during their freshman year are more likely to go to class, do their homework, and maintain friendships. They are also less likely to drop out of school. While community colleges have on-campus housing available, living there is an option, not a requirement.

I went to the University of Arkansas, so I was required to live on-campus during my freshmen year. I stayed in Hotz Hall, one of the newly renovated dorms at the time. Living on-campus was nice because I could get to class quicker and I made a lot of friendships. I didn’t like living in a dorm because of roommates, shared bathrooms, and noise. My dorm also costs $6,000 per year, and I could’ve gotten an apartment for a fraction of the cost. 

 So if you’re self-motivated, want to save money, value your privacy, and don’t want to deal with having a randomly-assigned roommate during your freshman year, you can go to a community college instead.

3. Community Colleges Have Smaller Class Sizes

As mentioned above, one reason why universities require that freshmen live on campus is that students who do tend to do better academically. However, going to community college can also benefit you academically. For example, community colleges tend to have smaller class sizes. While class sizes may vary, it’s unlikely that you’ll have to take science with over 300 other students like I did at the University of Arkansas.

 With smaller classes, you can sit closer to the front of the room, ask more questions, and get personalized feedback on your assignments. You’re also less likely to get distracted by your neighbor’s online shopping. This can help you retain information and learn more than you would in larger classes.

4. You Can Always Transfer

Alright, so I know you may still be skeptical about going to community college. That’s okay. Your concerns are valid. Here’s some valuable information that may ease your mind. If you do decide to go to a community college and discover that it’s just not for you, you can always transfer to a university. 

And maybe you’re at the other end of the spectrum, and you think that community college and university are both great options for you. You can spend your first two years attending a community college to get your associate’s degree, then transfer to a university for your bachelor’s. It’s the best of both worlds!

Many universities have scholarships just for transfer students. For example, Arkansas State University offers a $4,000 scholarship for transfer students while the University of Arkansas Monticello offers a $6,000 scholarship for transfer students. These scholarships are unavailable for traditional students, which increases your odds of receiving a scholarship considering the number of transfer students is likely to be lower. 

Some universities even have programs that allow you to attend while paying community college prices. For example, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville offers an Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship program for students who graduate from the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton with an associate’s degree. This scholarship allows students to transfer to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to pursue a bachelor’s degree while paying the in-county UACCM tuition rate. So, instead of paying $256 per credit hour, you’ll only pay $92 per credit hour! That’s a savings of $4,920 per year!

5. Professional Certificates Only at Community College

Community college is a great option if you want a professional certificate. If you’re interested in becoming an EMT, dental assistant, welder, paralegal, or chef, you should definitely check out some community colleges near you. Many of these programs are only available at community colleges, so you won’t be receiving training for these professions at a university. 

Maybe you’re concerned that you won’t get a high-paying job with a degree from a community college. Contrary to popular belief, you can get a high-paying job by attending community college. In Arkansas, the average annual salary for a dental assistant is $51,000 which is above the state’s median household income. The average yearly salary for welders is over $78,000!

Summary

As you can see, there are many benefits of attending community college. First, it saves you thousands of dollars. You don’t have to live in a dorm which saves you money and countless headaches that come with being assigned a random roommate. You can avoid large lectures with hundreds of people. This lets you get more personalized feedback on your work. If you end up not liking community college, you can always transfer to a university while paying community college prices. Finally, you can get professional certificates for high-paying jobs that aren’t available at a traditional university.

Want Money for School?

If you’re interested in receiving $500 to go to a college in Arkansas, apply for the Melissia Vincent Scholarship today. The best thing about it? There is NO GPA REQUIREMENT.