The importance of higher education is stressed to students starting in elementary school. As they come upon an end of their educational journey, students begin to weigh their options. Which path better fits their goals for the future: community college or university?
Community colleges and universities offer distinct experiences. However, it does not make one worse or better than the other. Some may argue that community college is a better financial option, while university offers more interpersonal connections and community engagement. One or the other, each institution is concerned with furthering students’ education and teaching lifelong lessons.
For unsure graduates, the decision about furthering one’s education can be frightening. It is hard to know what lies ahead, or if there will be regrets in the future. Carleigh Hassing, former Kellogg Community College student and now Western Michigan University student, is able to shed light on both experiences.
“Community college is significantly cheaper so saving money is a massive benefit. It’s also a really good transition from high school to college life,” Hassing said. “The university experience allows for deeper topics to learn through general requirements that are really beneficial to being a well-rounded academic.”
Kellogg Community College Admissions Director Jennifer Kotowski plays a vital role in the process of enrolling students in college, as well as making sure students feel comfortable in their transition to higher education.
“At the end of the day, a college experience is what the student makes of it,” Kotowski said. “Students will find that most, if not all, community colleges offer everything that can be found at a university such as student clubs, athletics, tutoring services, academic advising, career services, etc. Some community colleges even offer housing.”
Saving money, class rigor, and student life are all great things to reflect on in the college process. However, it is undeniable that in pursuing education after high school students will be spending their money and time. Students want to know, what more is there?
“Again, the differences are what the student makes of their experience. At community colleges, students have the opportunity to have small classroom sizes, which cannot always be found at a university,” Kotowski said.
“Socialization is a big one that’s different, in community college social events aren’t as widely participated in and there aren’t as wide a variety, so sometimes socialization can be hard, especially with online courses,” Hassing said.
Besides all of the student life and clubs, another one of the goals of furthering one’s education is to go to class, learn, and practice life skills. Students at community colleges and universities alike will have to attend lectures and do homework. Students may concern themselves with how they are able to tackle a full class load.
“I would tell all students to go to class, do your homework on time, stay on top of studying, talk to your instructor outside of class, explore your major and career, and get involved on campus. The overall college experience is really about what you put in,” Kotowski said.
“I think it all depends on what you’re studying and your workload. I’ve been to two different universities on top of KCC and at one I was pre-med and taking more than full-time credits which was insanely stressful,” Hassing said.
Reviewing the potential paths, perspectives vary from person to person. Choosing between community college and university is important, but the outcome depends on how much students put in. And, if it doesn’t go as planned, they can always make a change.
“College should not be thought of as transactional. For example, go to class, get a degree. Instead, college should be viewed by all of the amazing experiences you can have, the awesome people you can meet, and the personal growth that can come from getting an education,” Kotowski said.
