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Yes, we’re all looking for encouraging, high quality solutions to the issues we confront daily. And when higher education is one of the big decisions you’re weighing, then we suggest you stride over to your nearest two-year college and sit down with a counselor to learn about your many options.

If you go the two-year route, you’ll be far from alone. In recent years, more and more students have chosen to start their college careers at two-year institutions. According to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), over 45 percent of all college students in the United States now begin their postsecondary studies at a two-year college. “A two-year college offers great opportunities,” says Amalia Mejia, a graduate of Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, who now works as a health information technologist. “It can definitely be a bridge to success.”

Terrific Teaching
Two-year colleges come in all sizes. Some are larger than most universities. Others serve just a few hundred students. But whatever the size, a common strength is outstanding faculty.

Certainly, professors in two-year colleges are highly qualified. Eighty percent hold a master degree or doctorate, according to AACC, and others boast special licenses or technical training. On top of that, two-year college instructors tend to love teaching. While many professors in four-year schools focus on research or other professional activities, those in two-year colleges typically specialize in classroom teaching.

“The teaching in community colleges is excellent,” says Dr. Debi Yohn, a counseling psychologist and president of CollegeWorks101.com in Los Angeles. “And many of the professors actually work in the field they teach versus doing research.”

Yohn, who attended Florida’s Miami Dade College before earning her bachelor and graduate degrees, says two-year colleges provide a great educational option. “I have never regretted taking the community college route,” she says. “It just makes good sense.”

Savings Plus Flexibility
Along with top-notch teaching, a major advantage for many students is the cost factor. On average, tuition at a two-year college is one-third to one-half that of a four-year public college, and a fraction of the cost at a private school.

Not only does this present fewer problems in financing your college education in the first place, but it may foster more flexibility once you’ve enrolled. “It’s certainly cheaper to go to a community college,” says Ben Murphy, a graduate of Harrisburg Area Community College in Pennsylvania, who also earned a bachelor degree at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He now works as a design engineer at Penske Racing. “And if you are someone who isn’t quite sure what you want to do in life, you do not take quite as big of a hit if you were to change your major,” continues Ben.

The chance to experiment with academics was a plus for Michelle Tompkins, a communications consultant with Girl Scouts of the USA in New York and a graduate of American River College in Sacramento, California.

“I took a little bit of every kind of class at the community college,” she says. “I relished anthropology, loved art history, found astronomy interesting and statistics painful. For a fraction of what I would have spent elsewhere, I was able to get rid of classes that I had to complete, and I could learn which kind of classes I actually wanted to take.”

Challenging Activities
Although dorm life is not part of the campus scene at most two-year colleges, you’ll find plenty of challenging activities. Some schools field intercollegiate sports teams, while most offer club or intramural teams in a variety of sports.  Other activities include student government, cultural pursuits such as drama or other performing arts, and a variety of other clubs and student groups focusing on specific academic areas or social interests.

For highly motivated students, organizations such as Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for students in two-year colleges, provide recognition and the chance to interact with others interested in pursuing excellence. Some two-year colleges also offer study-abroad opportunities, honors programs, volunteer activities, or internships with local employers.

Endless Options
While flexibility can be a plus, students who already have a specific career in mind can also get a quick start at a two-year school. For some this will eventually involve transferring to a four-year school, for others it means completing a one-year or two-year program and then entering the workforce (see sidebars).

Perhaps the most attractive feature of two-year colleges is the multitude of options. Want to attend part-time and work at the same time? Get your general studies courses out of the way? Learn complex technical skills? Gain hands-on experience with high-tech equipment? Whatever your goals, a two-year college can open the doors to success.

“The first two years of college provide a window to your future,” Mejia says.  “It is up to you to take advantage of the resources that are offered.”

Sidebar: Considering accreditation
For an important mark of quality, check the accreditation of any two-year college in which you’re interested. Colleges that are accredited by regional accrediting associations (such as the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) meet the same standards of quality as four-year institutions.

In addition, specific programs such as nursing or engineering technology may also be accredited by organizations specializing in their fields.

To find out about the accreditation of any school, check out its catalog or website. You can also consult the agency that oversees higher education in your state.

Sidebar: Where could you be in just two years?
Almost everyone agrees on the value of a college education. But every great career doesn’t require a bachelor or graduate degree. Virtually all two-year colleges offer programs designed to lead directly to employment, instead of transferring to a four-year college. And many of these jobs are well-paying, in-demand positions with solid career potential.

A year or two of studies can prepare you to become a nurse, dental hygienist, medical lab technologist or other health care professional. Or you might shoot for a career as a web designer, engineering technologist, forensics technician, biotechnologist or other specialist in a scientific or technical area. Still other possibilities include preparing for work in fields ranging from accounting to social work, among scores of other career options. 

The U.S. Department of Labor has identified 27 fast growing occupations over the next decade, and more than half require an associate degree or less. Those commonly taught in two-year colleges include the following:

• Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
• Medical Assistants
• Physical Therapist Assistants
• Social and Human Services Assistants
• Pharmacy Technicians
• Dental Hygienists
• Dental Assistants
• Environmental Science and Protection Technicians

Add to these hot fields such as game technology, computer aided-design, forensics technology, legal assisting, fashion design and scores of others, and the opportunities are truly impressive. For a career that doesn’t require a bachelor degree, a two-year college may be just what you’re looking for.

Sidebar: A Good Read With a Purpose
The Career Chronicles: An Insider’s Guide to What Jobs are Really Like – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from Over 750 Professionals by Michael Gregory

After a successful career as a lawyer, Michael Gregory decided to pursue his original dream of being a writer. In The Career Chronicles, he wrote a book filled with what he wishes he knew as a college student. Gregory profiles more than 25 professions including architect, dentist, banker, and pharmacist.

Each chapter opens with an instructive overview of the profession including educational requirements, number of positions available, and average starting and median annual salaries. Readers can skip around from well arranged sections comparing one career with another. Real world, insider information is divided into six categories including “College vs. Reality,” “The Biggest Surprise,” “Would You Do It All Over Again?” and “Changes in the Profession.” The Career Chronicles features real answers to the questions most students, career changers and parents want and need to make informed decisions.

The Career Chronicles is published by New World Library. Contact your school librarian, your guidance counselor, or visit your local or online bookstore for more information.

Sidebar: Harvard & Beyond...
A graduate of Thomas Stone High School, in Waldorf Maryland, Aparicio Davis completed the highest level of math offered by the Charles County Public School System by the time he reached the 10th grade.  He continued taking advanced math classes through the Dual/Concurrent Enrollment Program at the College of Southern Maryland.

As a result of his diligent efforts, he was accepted into some of the top schools in the nation including Stanford University, Duke University, University of North Carolina, and Penn State. He eventually settled on Harvard University where he is currently a junior majoring in economics. Asked if he would recommend the same educational path to other high school students, Aparicio stated, “Of course. There is nothing but positive returns when you invest in your education. The materials you need are there – you have to learn the skills and learn how to apply them.”

Sidebar: Your Transfer Ticket
Earn Your Bachelor's Degree for Less!!!!

By attending a two-year college and then transferring to a four-year school, you can eliminate much of the cost of the first or second year of college. Then when you eventually earn your bachelor degree, it is no different than the degrees earned by students who started out at four-year schools even though the total expense is much less. Along with financial advantages, such a plan offers a number of pluses. Many students enjoy the chance to live at home a while longer, and perhaps keep a part-time job or stay close to friends or loved ones. Others plan on beefing up their academic records to enhance the chances of being accepted by a given four-year school.

And as more students choose the transfer route, four-year colleges are increasingly receptive to the idea of accepting two-year college grads. “Community colleges are great friends to us,” says Salvadore Liberto, vice president for enrollment and associate provost for Loyola University in New Orleans. “They do wonderful work and hand-off well-prepared, hard-working, and ambitious students to four-year colleges. We are always thrilled to receive them.”

There are two basic ways to approach the transfer process. One approach is to complete an associate degree in its entirety before transferring, essentially chalking up the first half of a bachelor degree. The other is to build up some credits without actually completing a degree at the two-year college, whether that means putting in two years or just a couple of semesters.

If you plan to take the transfer route, the key to success is choosing the right courses. Keep in mind that not all courses offered by two-year colleges are designed to fit into a bachelor degree program, and four-year schools will not accept them as transfer credits. So be sure to work with an advisor before selecting courses. Also consult transfer guides if available. Many colleges have specific agreements in place for transfer of credits, making it easy to follow the right path in course selection.

To the degree possible, it’s also a good idea to plan ahead. “Craft a plan,” says Carol DelPropost, vice president of admission and financial aid at Ohio Wesleyan University. “If you’re attending a two-year college with the intention of transferring to a four-year program, it’s a good idea to investigate early on which four-year schools might be a good fit and offer your preferred program. Then plan accordingly, selecting courses that will be transferable and will meet the four-year school’s requirements.” As part of your plan, be sure to determine in advance just what is required to apply to another school, including application deadlines. Also check out opportunities for scholarships or other financial aid. Many four-year schools reserve some scholarship funds specifically for transfer students.

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