why go to a good college when you can go to a community college?

Question

What is the point to go to harvard or yale??
when you can go to a community college for less?

will the degree affect you when you try to go to college?
will employers even care which school you went to?

sorry about what i typed it should be "will the degree affect you when you go to try to get a job??"

Answer 1

Sorry but no one has made the relevant points here yet!! Basically community colleges are an intellectual waste land and the chances that you get bored and start thinking that "higher ed" has nothing to teach you if you start at a junior college is very high. They don't have the good bright professors to motivate you. Most of the instructors do not have PhDs at community colleges, just MA degrees. The difference in quality is vast. Thus, the transfer rates from 2 yr to 4 yr colleges is very low. If you never make it to your BA degree because you started at an AA school, that makes a huge diff to employers.

It is better to start at an inexpensive 4 yr large state university than to ever set foot on a JC or CC campus. If you had to ask this question, don't even think about applying to an elite 4 yr school like the Ivies, you probably don't have the scores it takes to get admitted anyway (unless you are a first generation in your family to consider college -- which means you are seeking out the right types of information because your parents don't already know to tell you this). You will fair much better at a large public 4 yr university, and you will be happier, and being happier is a huge part of being able to finish the degree.

It can even be more economical to go to a 4yr school. When you apply to a 4 yr school (or hopefully you apply to several), you will be offered financial aid packages to compare. If you are one of their top applicants (which you wouldn't be at an ivy), you may get a scholarship or grant money of some kind. The rest of the package is made from the amount you and your family are expected to pay, and the amount of loans they are willing to give you to cover the rest. Often you don't need to take out the full amount of the loan as they estimate. So, what you pay out of pocket as you go along CAN actually work out to less than you pay out of pocket at a CC because you just have to pay cash on the barrelhead there -- no financial aid package.

On the other hand, if you know that you want a certain type of vocational career, like nursing, which pays well, and you don't have to be in school as long as med school, etc., community colleges are the perfect place, provided you choose one that has a reputable nursing program.

Comprendez?

Answer 2

The quality of education is significantly higher at the top schools vs. community colleges. That isn't to say that you can't get a "good" education at a community college. If you apply yourself, and have good teachers, I'm sure you can. But the brightest minds, overall, teach at the top level schools, and the students who attend are bright, hard-working and the classes are very challenging even for them. So, net/net, one would come out knowing much more from the former than the latter.

Re: employers... for the first few years, as people look at your resume when you're applying for jobs, where you go to school definitely plays a role. It's assumed that you are smart and accomplished if you go to the top schools. There's much more of a question mark with middling/lower tier schools. Eventually, it won't matter so much, when the accomplishments you can document at work take precedence as "proof" of your qualifications. But the "better" school still has rub-off...you can contact/meet with alumni who are probably moving up the ladders of corporate America (or wherever) rapidly and network for jobs, etc...and when your alma mater does come up in casual conversations at work -- which it will -- people are much more impressed with the top-level education than another caliber of school.

If you're considering graduate school, I'm sure they look more favorably upon the better schools, as well.

But of course, if money is an issue (though there are pretty generous financial aid/grant arrangements available these days) or you aren't qualified to get into a "better" school, then you should simply work hard and make the most of whatever you have/can do. It'll work out fine.

Answer 3

Actually, everyone saying that where you get you degree from is what matters, and that's why you shouldn't go to community college is wrong. If you go to community college and then transfer to a 4 year university your degree is going to be from that 4 year university, and will say nothing about your previous experience in community college. The real reason that you shouldn't go to a community college is because there are no parties, you can't get drunk and have fun (which usually happens on Thursday and Friday nights) and it is difficult to make friends at a community college. The only for going to a community college is to save money, but you aren't going to have as many "great Freshman year experiences", which is what college is all about.

Answer 4

Community colleges only offer Associate's degrees, which are 2 year degrees. A lot of times, they are for trades - for instance, massage therapy, CNA, auto tech, that sort of thing. A lot of people go there to get basic courses out of the way so that when transferring to a 4 year college they pay less money altogether.

But yes, when comparing a 4-year college grad and a JC grad, I think most employers would choose the one with a Bachelor's instead of an Associates. It makes them think that the one with a BA has a greater commitment to what they set out to do (2 years more college), and have more education as well.

How many times do you hear someone who graduated with a JC boast about their college? Do JC's have Alumni associations? Nope!

Answer 5

probably most ivy leaguers get good jobs. but if you compare somebody going to an expensive 2nd tier college to somebody from a community college, the person with the community college will probably do better. the only people who get the high paying jobs are the elitists and their buddies and those that go to the ivies. if you're not part of that group, don't waste your time on anything but a trade school.

Answer 6

If you are having trouble at a school switching schools is certainly worth a try. My only concern is cost. CC are generally more cost effective than private universities. Since your dream school is William and Mary your best option IMHO is to have a continuing dialogue with them on the best way to get admitted. This also shows them you are interested - which can go a long way in actually getting admitted when the time comes. Thanks Bill

Answer 7

It does look impressive on your job application. And you make a lot of "network" buddies there--the rich people who can help you get ahead, recommend you for jobs, that sort of thing.
But a good solid education at a lesser college PLUS a great go-getter type personality is just as good.

Answer 8

Employers are more likely to hire a grad from Yale with a 2.5 gpa than a grad from your local cc with a 4.0 gpa