How do I choose the right community college near me?
Did you know that the average person makes around 35,000 choices every day, according to researchers? So, if you’ve dreamed of an education beyond high school but feel overwhelmed by deciding where to go or what to study, we assure you that you CAN do this. You’ve had plenty of practice in making decisions that are right for you. All you need are a few tips to organize your thinking – and maybe the guiding hand of an experienced education counselor. Luckily, that’s precisely what we provide at The Chatfield Edge.
Let’s start with tips to organize your thinking as you consider community colleges near you.
What courses of study do the schools near you offer?
If you know what you are interested in studying, you need to figure out if the academic institutions near you provide what interests you. Sometimes, this can be a little trickier than you may think. Community colleges frequently offer two-year undergraduate degrees, technical education, and certifications.
Start by looking at the school’s program or academic offerings on its website. We recently did this for a student interested in studying nursing. Our first search on the school’s site was for “nursing,” and we found one program. Then, we broadened our search for “healthcare.” Now, we had options for two degree programs and three certifications—a much better starting point for what the school offered.
If you aren’t sure what you want to study, that’s okay, too. The first pillar of support The Chatfield Edge offers is Education Endeavors, which helps students choose a field of study.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, most good jobs today—those that provide a living wage—require some form of career-connected post-secondary education and training.
How long are the academic programs?
The agonizing question of “When are we going to get there,” is not limited to long car rides. How long a program of study will take to complete is an important consideration for most students. Is it going to take a year? Two years? Four years?
The answer to this question of how long an academic program will last changes based on your field of study. It may also change depending on what community college you decide to attend, so it’s an important question to explore.
Along with knowing the length of the program, find out when you can start your studies. Some community colleges will run on traditional semester start dates, but not all programs are available at all times of the year.
At one institution we investigated, phlebotomy, for example, is only offered in the Fall. For students, this means they start in August or wait until the following year.
What days and times are classes offered?
Since The Chatfield Edge focuses on serving non-traditional students—students who have delayed enrolling in college by more than a year, students who are returning to school after a break, and students who are single parents are just a few examples—the days and times that classes are offered are an essential consideration in choosing the right college.
Will the class times fit into your schedule? Do you have a job with flexible hours that would allow you to take courses during the day? Can you only take classes at night? Do you need online courses because you don’t have a reliable source of transportation?
These are all critical questions to answer before deciding on the school you want to attend. Yes, there will be other items to consider, too—finances, of course, and necessary prerequisites—but generally, we’ve found that once our students have answered these three significant questions, they’ve probably identified a community college that is right for them.
If choosing the right community college near you still feels overwhelming, talk to us. The Chatfield Edge is a FREE resource for first-generation and non-traditional students. We are an organization of passionate believers in the power of education. Learn more about how we help students like you overcome obstacles to get the education you want to get ahead in life.
