Switching Careers? Consider Going to Community College

Overcoming the Stigma of Community College

Many people make comparisons between community colleges and “real” colleges, perpetuating the idea that a community college education is somehow less valid than one from a traditional four-year university.

• Community colleges have long been stigmatized, but more and more students are taking to social media to declare their support for this type of education proudly.
• There will always be people who look down on community colleges and the students who attend them, but the truth is that the line between community college and “real” college is becoming more and more blurry.

Canva generated this picture of students having fun in the robotics lab.

Overview of Recent Posts on Social Media

Both community colleges and traditional four-year universities are a type of higher education, but many people make an unfavorable comparison between the two. Though there are many who think that a community college degree is somehow less valuable than one attained at a private college or state university, many community college students are proud of their educational choices.

Here are some posts from social media in the spring of 2017 that show a trend toward greater support for community colleges and the students who attend them:

• On June 3, Twitter (X) user Alexis Isabel posted, “I hate seeing people be ashamed to be going to community college. College is college. I’m proud of everyone who is trying their best.”
• On June 3,

For many high school students, attending college is the next logical step after graduation. According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are more than 2,300 institutions that grant 4-year degrees and around 1,500 community colleges. With so many options out there, making a decision can be quite difficult. If you want to make sure that you end up going to the right school, take the time to think about your future before you start shopping for schools then consider each option in depth, focusing on three categories in particular – academics, student life, and finances.

Before You Start Looking

Though many students look at it this way, college is not just something you do after high school – it is a wonderful opportunity to shape your future and it is an important choice that will affect the rest of your life. This being the case, you need to do some thinking and planning before you actually start shopping for schools so you have some idea about what you are looking for. First, think about your professional goals for the future – what kind of job do you see yourself having ten years down the line? Next, take that idea and delve a little deeper into the industry – are there any requirements or certifications you will need and how stable is a job in that industry? Finally, think about where you want to go to school – do you want to stay close to home or take

If you are one of the millions of college graduates struggling with student loan debt, you might be considering an option to refinance. Even though community college is often more affordable than a traditional four-year university, school is never cheap. Depending on your debt and how much you can pay, you might be able to consolidate and/or refinance your loans to make your payments more affordable – keep reading to learn more.

Save Money by Refinancing Your Student Loans

Refinancing your loans means that you will be repaying your existing debt by taking on a new loan with new terms, often from a new creditor. Two of the most common options for refinancing your student loans are private loan refinancing and federal loan consolidation. Again, it depends on the type of loans you have and how much debt you have as well. If you can refinance through a private lender, you might be able to get a lower interest rate. At the same time, federal loan consolidation is usually a good option for people who are looking to simplify the repayment process by lumping multiple loans into a single payment plan. Loan consolidation may or may not give you a better interest rate.

If you’re thinking about refinancing your community college student loans, there are a few questions you should ask yourself first:

1. Why are you refinancing?
2. What are your options?
3. What rate can I get?

The first question about why you are refinancing is very important – your goals

Choosing a college is a major decision that will affect at least the next two to four years of your life, depending on which school and which program you choose. Many students attend college right out of high school simply because it seems like the logical next step. With college tuition rising each year and millions of college graduates still struggling to start a career, however, it is important to think through this decision systematically before you make your choice.

Here are the top ten questions to ask yourself before going to college, as well as some important questions to ask when it comes to making your decision.

This video explains why community college is a good choice.

Ten Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going to College

Before you even decide to attend college, there are some important questions that you need to ask yourself. Your answers to these questions will help you to determine if the timing is right for you to attend college or if you might be better off waiting a few years. These questions will also help you to narrow down your choice for a major so you can choose the best college to fit your interests. Here are the top ten questions to ask yourself as you think about attending college:

1. Do you know what you want to study? If you don’t already have some idea of what you