10 Truths About Community College Every Applicant Should Know

Some people argue that four-year universities and community colleges are just different manifestations of the same thing. On the other hand, some people claim that these institutions are radically different. Many opinions abound on what these institutions entail about costs, student demographics, access to and utilization of student aid, funding and so on. This article, therefore, dissects ten interesting facts about community colleges that might be of importance to a prospective student. 

Demographics

In community colleges, most students are of low socioeconomic status. The ratio of low to high socioeconomic status students is almost 2:1. However, in elite colleges, higher socioeconomic students dominate the demographic at a ratio of 14:1.

Financial Aid

Even though low-income and community college students have a more visible need for financial aid, few of them complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) compared to the students at four-year colleges. This is according to findings of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).

Schools

There are a total of 1, 123 community colleges within the US. Of them, 922 are government-owned, 96 are private, and 35 are tribal. This data is in accordance with statistics published by the American Association of community colleges. 

Technology

Community colleges have witnessed a significant improvement in the efficiency of customer services, financial aid, and student satisfaction through the use of CampusLogic Student Platforms. 

Student/Counsellor ratio

For every counselor, there are over 1000 students. One major concern among stakeholders is the inefficient budget allocated for this purpose. Other states such as California have ratios as high as 1700 students per counselor. As such, getting faculty information, interfaculty transfers or even career advice becomes a big challenge. 

Ethnicity

More than one third of college students within the US hail from Texas, California, New York and Florida. These states have large populations of Latinos, and community colleges have greatly catered to Hispanic students. However, the number of Latinos working as both teaching and non-teaching staff is still very low. 

Age

The average age of a student at a community college is around 28 years. However, in four-year universities, over 79% of the undergraduate population is between 18 and 24. The reason might be partly due to a higher percentage of Hispanic immigrants who experienced disruptions in their education. 

Work-Study Dynamics

Almost 41% of community college students have full-time jobs in conjunction with full-time studies. In the United States, a typical workweek lasts 40 hours. When considering the workweek and full-fledged courses, such a student is usually very busy.  For this reason, many among them buy college papers online to reduce the academic workload.

Parenting

Close to 17% of students in community colleges are single parents. This comes with some challenges. For this reason, most of them do not complete their courses. 

Course Transfers

Upon joining community colleges, 81% of students show a desire to transfer to four-year universities after completing their degrees. However, only 25% of new students get to transfer in 5 years.