Fewer Student Loans: Community Colleges

It is time to abandon the stigma that has long been attached to community college and/or other types of 2-year colleges, because the truth is, community colleges are a great way to avoid going into heaps of student loan debt. Those looking to further their education without furthering the debt caused by student loans should really consider community colleges as an option.

Community colleges generally only offer two year associate degrees, but many of these community colleges have guaranteed transfer programs to local four-year colleges and universities. Since tuition costs at community colleges are typically less then four-year state universities or colleges, students who choose to attend their first two years at a community college can end up saving a substantial amount of money on college tuition costs. Generally the guaranteed transfer programs will allow students at the community college (who maintain a certain grade point average) guaranteed acceptance into the four-year state university after they complete their two year associate degree, thus you only have to pay state university tuition cost for 2-3 years vs. 4-5 years.

Many individuals have the notion that community college does not offer “as quality” of an education as a 4 year school does, however this is simply untrue. Check the transferability of your community college courses to a state university, you’ll find that nearly every general college course at the community college level will transfer to a university without a problem. It all boils down to the fact that community college can help equal a reduction in the amount of student loans you or your parents will have to take on. It is time to get over the social stigma and factor in community college as a serious option for a college education with out serious student loan debt!