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•  Community Colleges
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Community College


For many, community colleges (also known as “junior” or “two-year” colleges) provide a bridge from high school to college, offering courses for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree at a four-year school.

More than 11 million students, about 44% of all undergraduate students, attend community colleges throughout the United States.

Students have different reasons for attending a community college: They often cite low tuition, convenient locations, class schedules, open admissions policies, and comprehensive course offerings.

What Community Colleges Can Offer:

  • Entry-level career training to prepare students for the job market.
  • Job re-entry or career-advancement courses for adult students wanting to upgrade their skills. 
  • Advanced placement classes for ambitious high school students that count for credits toward their college degrees.
  • English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for adults with varying levels of education in their native countries who need English-language instruction.
  • Courses not offered by local four-year colleges.
  • Distance learning programs for students wishing to learn at home to accommodate to their schedules.

Community colleges offer the ability to continue education at any point in your life, close to home, and at an affordable price.

Considering Community College?

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Did you know?
Community colleges are an American invention that put publicly-funded, higher education in neighborhoods throughout the United States. Established in 1902, Joliet Junior College is the oldest public community college in America.


Top Cutting-Edge Programs Added by Community Colleges
Biomedical Engineering/ Biological Technology
Homeland Security
Internet Technologies
Computer Networking
Law Enforcement
Multimedia
Computer Technologies
Geographic Information Systems
Graphic Design
Manufacturing

Community College Facts

Community colleges 1,195
Public institutions 987
Private institutions 177
Tribal institutions 31
Average student age 29
Enrollment (million) 11.6
Credit 6.6
Non-credit 5
Tuition and fees
Average annual at public community colleges
$2,272

Source: Facts 2007: American Association of Community Colleges

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