Communiversities: Why Our Hometown Colleges Are Worth a Second Look
By Rita Templeton
For decades, four-year universities have coveted the limelight as the pre-eminent frontrunners of educational opportunity. But as the economy teeters on the edge of a recession, and families are increasingly finding themselves in a financial crunch, the expense of such institutions has become somewhat of a liability. The good news is that while potential students are forced to re-examine their choices, they’re taking a closer look than ever before at community colleges – and are coming to realize that the traditional “second choice” has some clear advantages. Community colleges are finally getting their day in the sun.
At first glance, the most obvious draw of these smaller local institutions is their cost effectiveness. The tuition of Iowa’s four-year colleges and universities can fall anywhere between $15,340 (Ashford University) and $34,392 (Grinnell College) annually – and that’s not including room and board fees, which range from $5,000-$8,000 per year. Community college tuitions, on the other hand, are considerably (and refreshingly!) less hefty: the yearly fees for Clinton, Scott, and Muscatine community colleges are $3,424 for Iowa residents (based on 32 credit hours), and only about $1,000 more for out-of-state enrollees. A year of classes (again, 32 credit hours) at Black Hawk College set Illinois students back a mere $2,704. Then there’s the marked absence of room and board fees and the close proximity to home – no outrageous travel expenses, and public transportation routes are almost always convenient to community colleges. Add in the fact that at almost any community college, about half of the students have received some sort of financial aid. What you end up with is an extremely viable alternative for anyone who pales at the thought of paying for higher education (and these days, who doesn’t?).
But contrary to popular belief, there’s no sacrifice of quality, despite the lower price tag. Many hold the misconception that because community colleges are at the least expensive end of the spectrum, it must indicate some sort of educational inferiority, and this “you get what you pay for” outlook has given such institutions a bad rap in the past. However, their quality of education is anything but sub par. “I am a firm believer in the quality of community college education,” said Rose Campbell, Ph.D., transitional president of Black Hawk College, who adds that her first higher education experience was at such an institution. All instructors are required to have advanced degrees, and most have years of classroom experience. In a university setting, many undergraduate courses may be taught by less experienced teaching assistants (or “TAs”) who are in the process of obtaining master’s degrees; the faculty members who hold higher degrees are often too involved in research to teach regularly. The smaller size of community colleges fosters an intimate learning environment, where the instructors are accessible, bolstering student-teacher interaction and creating a more comfortable setting in which to ask questions. According to Alan Campbell, associate director of communications for the Eastern Iowa Community College District, the student-teacher ratio in the Quad-Cities’ community colleges is typically about one to17.
Another advantage of the relatively inexpensive community colleges is that they’re a perfect option for students who just aren’t sure what they want to do. Their low cost makes it easier to “play around” and explore a larger variety of classes and career paths before finally deciding upon one. And for those who are afraid that a smaller school might mean missing out on the extracurricular enrichments that a larger university would offer, take heart: all of the community colleges in the Quad-Cities offer clubs, fraternities, art and theater opportunities, and athletics.
Typically, community colleges have an open admission policy, meaning that anyone who has completed (or are presently completing, in the case of dual-enrollment) high school, or have obtained a GED, is able to attend. This has helped to perpetuate the negative stereotype, says Mr. Campbell. But the open enrollment policy spells opportunity for would-be students who haven’t been “groomed” for higher education as much as their counterparts. Students from working class families with no tradition of academic achievement are often automatically expected to follow in the footsteps of their parents, jumping straight from high school into a blue-collar career path. As such, they may not have been highly encouraged by their families to pursue higher learning, and are largely unequipped with the study and organizational skills (much less the academic credentials required by four-year institutions) necessary to succeed in college courses. Community colleges provide an opportunity for such students to learn, affordably and without bias, the skills they require. Developmental classes are available for those who aren’t ready for college-level instruction, effectively bridging the gap between high school and higher education. “I know many individuals who were unsure about their abilities that found their confidence and experienced tremendous personal growth at their community college,” said Dr. Campbell. “For them, the community college experience was transformational.”
For those who choose to go on to a four-year institution, successfully transferring credits between schools can prove to be somewhat difficult. But articulation agreements, officially approved contracts that match coursework between schools, have made it easy. These agreements ensure that credits earned during the two-year stint at community college transfer seamlessly, greatly simplifying the transition. Most four-year colleges and universities in the area have formed such agreements with the community colleges in the Quad-Cities; students can be guaranteed to enter the four-year as a junior, with all their credits intact. Perhaps more importantly, they’ll also transfer over with something just as valuable: experience. “Community colleges do an excellent job of acclimating individuals to the rigors of college study,” said Dr. Campbell. “[They] help individuals learn that there are responsibilities that come with being a college student. For instance, attending class, learning how to manage time, how to take examinations, and how to ask questions are all necessary for college success.”
Community colleges present a diverse range of educational solutions for anyone, no matter their age or aspiration. Though the “average” community college student is 26 or 27, dual enrollment programs make it possible for teen-agers to earn college credits while simultaneously attending high school; Dr. Campbell says that 717 high school juniors and seniors took advantage of Black Hawk College’s program during the 2007-08 academic year, some taking more than one course. Career development programs and technical training allow professionals from all stages to further their education and gain an advantage in the workforce. But that’s not all, according to Mr. Campbell, who says, “We’ve even had students in their 70s.” Two-year schools also offer advantages to students of four-year colleges who want to lighten their fall course loads by picking up a few classes in the summer, Mr. Campbell points out. They can come home and stay with their parents, take on a few required classes during the summer months, and free up more time for the fall – not to mention save a bundle over the comparatively higher-priced university courses. And online degree programs gives students an amount of flexibility that they may not ordinarily get with a traditional classroom setting. “This option works well for parents or for individuals who work and are not able to travel to campus,” said Dr. Campbell.
Interestingly, according to a June 2008 survey of 1,143 Illinois residents, there’s now some hard evidence that people are giving community colleges more respect. In the survey, conducted by the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs, respondents reported more positive perceptions of their local community colleges than of four-year colleges and universities statewide. Eighteen percent said that their community colleges were doing “an excellent job,” where only 11 percent said the same about the state’s four-year institutions.
Readers who responded on an online message board in regard to the survey seemed to echo those sentiments. One person, a teacher at a four-year university identified only by initials, had this to say: “…We are smart people and I think we know that most four-year universities are not providing a product or service that is nearly as valuable as the cost would suggest. We lecture and we research and then kids graduate after they’ve heard enough and repeated what we said back to us. CC’s [sic], on the other hand, are actually preparing kids to survive in a much more demanding world.” The poster then went on to add, “Rather than focusing on the kids who will be saddled with indentured servitude for the next 40 years to pay off their loans, we comfort ourselves by condescending community colleges, telling each other how valuable we are, and prattling on about the ‘value of an education’ – although the loudest talkers never seem to be the ones paying for it. It’s really sad.” Another poster contributed, “From personal experience we can see that two years plus training programs prepare a student for the real world whilst top tier and flagship Universities are really more about marketing and self promotion geared towards growing their nest eggs.” These sentiments can be summed up with a quote from American poet, translator and etymologist John Anthony Ciardi (1916-1986): “A university is what a college becomes when the faculty loses interest in students.”
Aside from the variation in price, aside from the convenience and the class structure and the articulation agreements, there’s something more – something almost intangible, yet substantial – that sets community colleges apart: there’s no pressure. Students don’t have to worry about writing a killer admissions essay; it doesn’t matter how much extracurricular participation they had in high school; they aren’t judged by their backgrounds or hindered by their disabilities. They don’t need impressive curriculum vitae in order to be accepted; all that matters is that they possess a desire to better themselves. Community colleges meet students where they are, not the other way around.
