Two-year community colleges draw more affluent students

[RamboLiberal]

Julie Hong grew up in the sort of leafy Montgomery County suburb where college is assumed. Her parents had saved for the expense since she was a baby. When the time came, they said she could go wherever she wished. She chose a community college.

Comparatively affluent students are picking community colleges over four-year schools in growing numbers, a sign of changing attitudes toward an institution long identified with poorer people.

A recent national survey by Sallie Mae, the student loan giant, has found that 22 percent of students from households earning $100,000 or more attended community colleges in the 2010-11 academic year, up from 12 percent in the previous year. It was the highest rate reported in four years of surveys.

In the lengthening economic downturn, even relatively prosperous families have grown reluctant to borrow for college. Schools are finding that fewer students are willing to pay the full published price of attendance, which tops $55,000 at several private universities. More students are living at home.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/two-year-colleges-draw-more-affluent-students/2011/10/24/gIQADvVigM_story.html?hpid=z5

[MADem]

1. Community colleges are now more like tuition high schools.

Many of them are very nice, and kids can find courses to fit their abilities--from remedial to challenging. They're also not so huge that one gets lost in the crowd.

I think a quarter of a million bucks for a college education is just too fucking much, and by the time you get done with tuition, fees, dorm rooms, etc., that's where you're at.

[tblue]

2. Oh Rambo...

Thanks for this post. I am smackdab in the middle of the applications process for my kid. It is grueling and admissions are more competitive every year. Our state is broke so our public universities have cut back on classes and decreased the number of in-state admits because the out-of-state students pay higher fees. Ain't that a mess?! We pay taxes to our state -----hellOOOOO?!

2 year schools are a great way to go. You can always transfer to a 4 year school and you will save, like $100k! There is NO shame in that. Until the economy picks up, so college grads can find jobs, the 2 year + transfer route is almost the only way that makes sense. Hmmmm...

[RamboLiberal]

3. I went that route going at night

Back then tuition at community college was $12-16 a credit. 4 year college was $85 a credit. Doubt I could afford now.

[exboyfil]

5. At least at our community colleges you

really can't get the second year classes for a science or engineering major. A great many of our High School students do take many freshman classes - some of them taught dual enrolled at the High School. It is a good way to get ahead on classes. In particular our High School offers College Physics instead of a Honors Physics course. It is perfect for majors which do not require Calculus based Physics. My daughter, the aspiring doctor, has it as a key part of her plan to graduate with a B.A. in three years.

I have a friend who teaches both at the local university and at the community college in math. She does indicate that the equivalent university class has better students and has higher expectations than the community college class. Since Physics will be a terminal class for my daughter, I am not worried. I would be worried about Biology and Chemistry though - especially Chemistry.

For those thinking of entering a professional school like Med school, you might also have some problems with satisfying your requirements with community college courses. If you are on the borderline, it might tip you into rejection.

As far as fewer spots for in state students, fortunately in our state the bar is pretty low into getting into our state universities. It is nothing like trying to get into the University of California system or Georgia Tech or the University of Virginia. In fact a resume that would get you into Georgia Tech in engineering would probably result in getting at least a $3-5K/yr scholarship at our state schools.

[a la izquierda]

12. Keep in mind...

courses for you kid's major will not normally transfer. So you end up paying for classes that sometimes your kid will have to take again. For instance, the school from which I received my PhD would not allow undergrad history majors to transfer community college history courses to count. Well, to get an AA, you have to take history...

Your kid will have to consider carefully the school to which he/she intends to transfer (if he/she wants to do that anyway).

[Journeyman]

4. Why not. Where you get your degree is where you "went to school". . .

So if you can finish the first two years at a community college, then transfer to a university, you get your degree from that university at a substantial savings over having attended it for the full four years.

Or alternately, go to a state university the first two years, then transfer to the institution from which you wish to receive your degree.

Your education may be "different" from those who attended all four years at the more prestigious institution, and arguably could be a "lesser" education, but your sheepskin's the same and carries equal weight.

[exboyfil]

6. It is my impression that most elite universities

are pretty stingy about granting credits for community colleges. Even our state schools do not recognize an equivalent 3 hour course to satisfy the English requirement. The most irritating thing are the schools pushing you into a harder English class based upon your ACT without getting any sort of additional compensation for the additional effort. That does not mean that you should not take the higher level course, but why should your peers get to skate in an easier course as Freshmen.

[MadHound]

7. Yeah, but what about the quality of education you get?

Your education will be lessened by two years at a community college. College isn't about getting a degree, but about getting an education.

[exboyfil]

9. I think it really depends on the class and the community college

I would be reluctant to use community college credits to advance in classes like Math, Physics, and Chemistry. Some worry about English. Little worry about Social Studies type classes (except as it comes to the writing component of them).

[MadHound]

10. Having attended a community college, a state university, and finally a liberal arts college,

I can authoritatively state that the quality of community college classes are second rate at best. The courses that challenged me, that made me think, were at the liberal arts college I attended, and not just the upper level courses either, but the 100 and 200 level courses as well.

[exboyfil]

11. Private liberal arts colleges don't even appear on the radar for me

I can't get past the $30K/yr in tuition. I have told my older daughter to make a run at the University of Chicago for Film Studies, but I feel she most likely will end up at our state university in something like C.S./Computer Science with a Film Studies minor. Even if she could get into the University of Chicago (which I think she has a real chance at) unless they can bring the tuition into range of the public university, it is not going to happen. My daughter is one of the few of her 4.0 peers that has a shot at getting an A in Honors Algebra II/Trig (a viper pit of a course). I have been told that this is the hardest course at her High School in terms of getting an A.

[exboyfil]

8. Another route to consider is CLEP

My aspiring doctor is looking at going to a school which requires a whole bunch of Liberal Arts courses. I have put together a plan to do High School equivalent through online courses while prepping for the college equivalent CLEP. I am looking at perhaps 24 hours of credit by this approach (U.S. History I and II, American Government, World History I and II, Compostion, and Humanities). This is a far cheaper approach than even community college, and she can advanced English courses instead (which would look pretty good on a medical school application). You throw in dual enroll community college courses like Physics I and II, Biology I, Sociology, Communications, Statistics, and a foreign Social Studies; then she will have satisfied all but five hours of the liberal arts core.

[seabeyond]

13. my inlaws are such snobs. we are addressing this now as i have a son getting to age of college

i received an email from mother in law telling me we need to visit the campus and get tours. even with good grades, daniel (nephew) didnt get university he wanted and had to settle for penn. and the other son is looking at dartmouth. i so want to email in law and say, i am fine with west texas university. i was thinking the other night, a top college, at the minimum, 200k for four years. still leaves masters. and kid may not get it done in a total of 6. two kids, that is over half a million. i mean, wtf?

[tblue]

14. The fixation with top-tier schools troubles me.

A very, very accomplished young lady at my kid's school committed suicide 2 weeks ago. The whole school is reeling. She appeared to have it all.

Tell your in-laws you'd rather have a happy healthy kid than a suicidal one who meets their criteria for success. Harvard will receive 40,000 applications for abut 1600 spots this year!

You don't even necessarily get the best education at these name-brand research universities where the professors don't even teach or have a deep commitment to their students. I don't know anything about West Texas, but I'm sure it's a great school. You just want your son to be happy and challenged, right? Many options for that. Besides, he can go to grad school at one of these top-notch schools if he wants to and has a good college experience. Good luck! We are going through it, too, right now!

[seabeyond]

15. exactly what you say. i have spent the last 15 yrs working on my husband to get him past it.

it makes no sense to me. there are studies showing once thru the door a harvard grad does not make any more than any other student. it is on work performance.