Venture Publications: Movin' On

Great things are possible at America's two-year colleges.

Whether you are imagining your life as an interior decorator, engineering technologist, English teacher, FBI agent, lawyer, hydrologist or astrophysicist, the educational foundation needed for nearly any career you may dream about is as close as your local two-year college.

With growing popularity, innovative programs and increasing respect within the education community, two-year colleges have come into their own. "Two-year colleges are becoming more popular," says Kara Bratcher, a student at San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas. "More students are coming to community colleges because of cheaper tuition, and then moving on to universities."

It is true — cost savings are impressive, with tuition averaging less than $2,500 per year, according to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). That's less than half the average amount of public four-year colleges, and a fraction of the cost of private colleges. But low tuition is only part of the story.

Across the country, two-year colleges are attracting students from all kinds of backgrounds. In fact, more than six million students now study at community colleges across the United States. Along with the appealing cost savings, they are choosing this option for a variety of reasons ranging from convenience to the chance to pick up great occupational credentials.

According to Bryan Albrecht, president of Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, growing numbers of employers are finding two-year college grads make great employees, and many work closely with their local colleges to develop state-of-the-art programs. "Graduates are job ready and in a changing economy the job market is quick to require new skills sets," he says. "Community college graduates adapt quickly to the skill requirements because industry is influential in developing the curriculum and experiences."

Not only do students pick up marketable skills, but many find the environment of a two-year college is just what they're looking for. "I like the smaller classes and individual attention given by the instructors, administration and staff," says Sara L. Hays, a May, 2007 graduate of Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas. "The classes range from ten to forty students which allows one-on-one interaction between the student and the instructor."

Bratcher agrees that smaller is better. "With smaller classes, professors have more time to help students and answer everyone's questions," she says. "It makes it easier to ask questions openly and discuss in class. We get to know each other during the semester and feel comfortable being outspoken."

An added benefit is that such familiarity can make it easier to get help from instructors or connect with other staff who provide support services. "The high level of interpersonal communication often helps faculty and administrators identify students who are in need of support services," says Veronie Lawrence-Wright, a counselor at Bronx Community College in Bronx, New York. This can include tutoring, career testing, personal counseling and services designed to help students succeed.

At the same time, students at two-year schools frequently praise the quality of teaching. Unlike universities where first and second year students often have teaching assistants (referred to as TAs), students at two-year colleges are taught by professors.

"The professors are excited about teaching," Bratcher says. "We have great teachers in every field." Professors at two-year colleges are there because they enjoy the interaction with students. Their doors are open for the one-on-one exchange with students.

For many students, a two-year college can be the right place to make the transition from high school. For some, it's the path to earning a one-year certificate or two-year occupational degree. Such training can lead to a good job in any of dozens of fields such as nursing, electronics, business administration, engineering technology, law enforcement or information technology, to name just a few.

For others, a two-year college offers the chance to complete the first one or two years of college and then transfer to a four-year school. During that initial time, students can build up credits while experimenting with different courses and programs. For those who are undecided about a major, it can be an ideal starting point.

That was the case for Nicole Kaspar, a graduate of Moorpark College in Ventura, California. "I've always been a motivated student but at the end of high school, I still was unsure about what to major in and what college I wanted to go to," she recalls. "Going to a two-year college allowed me to have time to figure out what I was interested in." After enrolling at Moorpark, she checked out several programs and then settled on a major. "I decided that I wanted to major in communication studies and so I transferred to Cal State Long Beach which has a great communications program," she says.

Two-year schools can also provide a place to build confidence as well as academic experience. "I never knew I was capable of so much, but with the support and resources made available at a two-year college I am in the honor society," says Hays. "And now I am ready for a university."

To make things easier for students, many two-year colleges have articulation agreements with four-year colleges and universities. These arrangements allow students to make a smooth transition when they transfer. Follow-up surveys have shown that once they begin studying at four-year institutions, community college grads tend to do as well or better than those who started at the same schools as freshmen.

With this kind of track record, the future looks bright for two-year colleges and the students who attend them. Whether the goal is transferring or completing an occupational program, more and more students are finding two-year colleges meet their needs. The truth is, you can go anywhere your dreams can take you by taking your first step at a two-year college-there are no boundaries or limits on how high you can soar!

This question is one we frequently get from our readers so we turned to an expert, Tish Scott at Wilson Community College in North Carolina, for enlightenment. "College transfer programs offer classes that parallel the first two years at a four-year institution, and are designed to fit into specific four-year degree requirements," Tish said. "In other words, the Associate in Arts or Science degrees offer classes most closely related to the first two years of the Bachelor of Arts or Science degrees. For example, we offer a pre-major in business administration, elementary education, English, history, information systems, psychology – just to name a few."

And what exactly is the payoff for someone who wants a head start on their education and their career? Tish explains, "By taking advantage of college transfer curricula and articulation agreements, students can complete the first two years of college in smaller classrooms with trained teachers (not graduate students). Students can also explore college and find out which career path best fits them without being lost in a large environment."

The Movin' On staff has discovered these interesting two-year college transfer options: Students in the Associate of Arts degree program at Tallahassee Community College (FL) may transfer to Florida A & M University into these specialty programs: Architecture, Civil Engineering Technology, Construction Engineering Technology, Electronic Engineering Technology, and Landscape Design. This is only one of many options students have at TCC.

In California, Moorpark College is number one in the state among community colleges with 12,000 to 15,000 students for transfers to the UC and CSU systems combined. Moorpark College students who successfully complete transfer pathways are guaranteed admission to the University of California — at Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz; and to the California State University — at Channel Islands, Northridge, Sonoma, and San Bernardino. And students can apply for transfer to any UC, CSU or independent university of their choice after completing 56-60 units at Moorpark College.

For a closer look check out your local two-year college Career/Transfer Center. Like Moorpark's, many will provide transfer planning, individual meetings with college and university admissions representatives, college and university campus tours, as well as transfer application and financial aid workshops.

Bottom line — You can save a substantial amount on the cost of the first two years of college and then move on to the senior level at a university — it's a definite winning plan!

Associate's Degree (or Program of Study): Business. "Originally, I wanted to pursue culinary arts but after apprenticing and working at local restaurants and taking a few classes, I determined I was more interested in majoring in business management, and I would like to open my own small business someday."

Transferring to: Accepted to Virginia Tech, but currently con-sidering business management programs and financing options at other colleges.

Transfer Advice: "Don't sit around and wait for things to happen, you have to work on your future even in high school. Start researching the schools and financial aid as soon as you can. Develop an idea of what you are looking for in a college .... Don't believe all of the hype. Find a college that fits you."

Would Recommend a Two-Year College: "Absolutely. To be honest, I thought CSM was going to be a joke and not as academically challenging but after attending for two years, I learned you can accomplish a lot here. It gives you the time and means to make decisions about where you want to focus your studies.... I think everyone should have to attend CSM first. I wasn't prepared to enter a four-year college and neither were most of my classmates. So I am glad I went to CSM."