Colleges on Long Island

With the ever increasing costs of college education, expensive four-year residential colleges may not be the best option for everyone. In many cases, attending a community college first and then transferring to a university is the smartest choice a student can make. Here are ten reasons why:

1. Community colleges are cheaper

Attending a community college costs a lot less than public or private four-year college because local taxpayers fund them in part, so students can get affordable education, a higher paying job in the future and contribute back to the community. If you don’t have enough savings and your test scores aren’t that great to win a merit scholarship, community college is a great option which can save you thousands of dollars.

 2. Flexible learning schedule

At most community colleges you can take weekend and evening courses, so you have more time juggling other obligations in your life like a job and family. Regular colleges rarely offer this type of schedule; generally you’ll be busy with classes and studying throughout the day, leaving you with very little time for anything else. Besides that, you can work with your instructors to make up for missed coursework online, and what’s more, many education programs in community colleges are available as online degrees.

 3. Your test scores or grades are weak

If your tests scores and grades aren’t that great to get you into a four-year college, don’t be discouraged. Community colleges offer open admissions which means that you can use this time to build your academic skills and gain experience. Later, if you decide to transfer to a four-year school, the transfer admissions office will consider your college grades as much more important than your high school record.

 4. Convenient Locations

Community colleges are usually conveniently located at the hearts of towns and cities, where you can use public transportation to and from your classes, thus saving money in travelling expenses. As an added incentive, many community colleges have daycare facilities on the premises for students with children.

 5. Certification and Associate Degree Programs

Some technology and service careers don’t require a four-year degree but just a certificate or an associate degree, and the type of specialized training you need is only available at community colleges.

 6. Small class sizes

Class sizes at community colleges are usually small, allowing you to get close one-on-one attention from your instructors.

 7. You’re not sure whether you should go to college

Most students feel that they should go to college because that’s what’s expected of them but they’re not quite sure why. If this applies to you, community college can be a good choice. There you can try out some college-level courses and see if this is something you want to do. After all, the number of freshmen signing up for college is far greater than the number of students who actually graduate.

8. Transferable credits

You can take some classes at a community college and then transfer to a college or university bachelor program for continuous education. Most universities accept many if not all of the credits from two year schools. By doing so you’ll not only save money but you’ll also be able to finish with core requirements and subjects at the community college and concentrate on your major while attending university.

 9. Sports

Some community colleges have sports and athletic teams (football, basketball, swimming, etc.)

 10. Quality of education

While many people consider community college education to be not as good as that in private schools or universities, it is a key access point to higher education. So if you’re still hesitant about attending a community college first, don’t be. Many successful people start out at such colleges.

The increasing cost of college education is causing many to question the value of studying beyond high school. Are the high cost tuition and accumulation of debt worth the investment and is choosing full-time employment over college the smarter thing to do? The dilemma is especially difficult for low-income families who have hard time making end meet anyway. To determine whether the value of college education is worth the rather large investment or it’s simply overrated, one needs to take a look at the rates of return on investment to both the individual and society. 

Earnings over lifetime 

Typically college graduates earn around $1 million more than high school graduates over an adult’s working life, supporting the notion that the rate of return on investment in college education is high enough to warrant the financial burden of pursuing a degree. Nowadays about 80 percent of all high school students enroll either in 4-year or 2-year colleges. Although the cost of higher education is significant, given the earnings difference between those who earn a bachelor’s degree and those who don’t, it’s well worth it. 

Personal benefits 

And it’s not just the monetary gain you achieve through college education. Individual benefits that college graduates enjoy include higher savings, improved quality of life for them and their children, better consumer decision making, and more hobbies and leisure activities. College education gives you the power to be more open-minded, cultured and rational. Graduates also tend to be more consistent in their decisions, with all these benefits being passed along to next generations. In addition, college attendance has been proven to decrease prejudice, enhance knowledge of world affairs and enhance social status while increasing economic and job security at the same time. 

Economic growth and social value 

When the people of a country is intelligent and well educated, the nation develops both economically and socially. In most parts of the world, college education is not an option for most due to its high cost. But if you don’t have one, it can get even more expensive over your lifetime. Unlike other purchases you make in the real world, the value of a college education never depreciates. Many studies have shown a high correlation between higher education, and cultural and family values, as well as economic growth. Public benefits of attending college include increased tax revenues, greater workplace productivity and flexibility, increased consumption and decreased reliance on government financial support. 

In case you doubt the value of a college education, spare a thought for those nations which are burdened by the lack or absence of higher education. They are fighting a number of battles every day – wide spread corruption, terrorism, insufficient health facilities are just a few of the issues they are forced to deal with on a regular basis. While it’s clear that investment in a college degree is a big financial burden, the long-term benefits to individuals as well as to society far outweigh the costs.

ACT – one of the most common college entrance exams; the ACT consists of the following four sections: math, science, English and reading as well as an optional writing assessment.  It’s usually taken for the first time in the spring of the junior year and again in the senior year.

Adjunct Professor – A part-time college professor with a long-term contract

Audit – to attend a class without receiving credit for it

Commencement – another term for graduation

Faculty – anyone who teaches at the college

FAFSA – the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This type of form is required for any student who wants to apply for federal aid of any kind.

GA – Graduate Assistant or Adviser

GI – Graduate Instructor

Grant – similar to scholarship; grants don’t need to be paid back

GSA – Graduate Student Assistant or Adviser

GSI – Graduate Student Instructor

Hall Coordinator (HC) – someone who’s in charge of your entire hall and supervises Resident Advisers (RAs).

Hall Council (HC) – Residence Council; a small governing body serving as a student voice which helps make decisions and plan programs for your hall community.

Mortarboard – the academic cap worn during graduation and other special ceremonies.

Pedagogy – style or method of teaching

Prerequisite – a course that must be taken before enrollment in another course.

Provost – one of the highest-ranking people on campus; an administrative officer who’s concerned with the curriculum, faculty appointments, etc.

RA – Resident Adviser; this is usually an undergraduate student in charge of smaller sections of a residence hall. They can help you with various issues such as adjusting to college, problems with your roommates, and advice on just about anything.

RC – Residence Council; a small governing body serving as a student voice which helps make decisions and plan programs for your hall community; same as hall council (HC).

RHA – Residence Hall Association; the same thing as a Hall Council (HC) or Residence Council (RC).

Scholarship – money given to you for your studies; scholarship moneys usually don’t need to be paid back.

TA – Teaching Assistant or Advisor

Tenure – the status of a teacher, who has fulfilled special requirements. If you have a tenured professor, it means that he has been at the school for a while and been judged by a committee of their peers and the dean in order to become an essential member of the faculty.

Work Award – another term for Work Study

Work Study – A federal financial aid program that allows students to work on campus although some work study jobs can be set up off-campus.