Community College Essay

Community colleges are the future for higher education in America as they are accessible, affordable, and benefit society by preparing students to enter the workforce by promoting workforce development. Currently, I am a high school student taking college courses with Baltimore County Community College through the Early College Access Program. I attended college because I didn’t want to take the AP English 11 course that is offered at my high school because of how long it would take me to earn the college credit and complete the class. Taking English 101 in replace of AP English 11 allows me to finish the course in just 10 weeks during sophomore year and earn the college credit. This highlights how accessible community college is. “These institutions

Since I am attending community college as an ECAP student, I can take the courses without having to pay. This opportunity isn’t given to everyone, which is why I am taking advantage of this opportunity while it is still available. In his article, Dr. Mintz writes “As a lower-cost alternative to four-year colleges and universities, community colleges are both a gateway into higher education and, most times, an alternative to four-year institutions.” Four-year colleges are expensive and many people can’t afford to pay for them, requiring students to take out huge loans which they continue to pay after graduating. Community colleges are way cheaper than four-year colleges and though sometimes students have to take out loans, they are not as large as the loans taken out for four-year universities. “Seventeen percent of community college students experienced homelessness in the last year, according to a 2019 survey of close to 167,000 college students by The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice in Philadelphia.” (Spencer) highlights the living conditions of people attending community colleges and how difficult it is to get a good education without a stable

One innovation is the Co enrollment in a four-year institution (Mintz) which is very useful to students like me. It transitions from community colleges to four-year institutions easier. Another very useful innovation is the Meta Majors (Mintz). Meta Majors give students insight into different fields and careers, allowing the student to make a well-thought-out choice instead of regretting their decision halfway through completion saving the student time and money. Learning about the importance and benefits of community colleges in this unit has taught me to appreciate the opportunities given to me and understand how it doesn’t have to be a four-year college, I can always attend my local community college to get a higher community college. It has also taught me that people do not appreciate community colleges as much as they should. Dr. Mintz notes “community colleges lack respect and adequate funding. Too often, these institutions are subject to condescension, and their critical role in remediation and vocational training is