Missy Mouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2006
MrsPete said:I'm trying to think of a job for which both of these people would apply . . . nope, I've got nothing. In the real world, these two people would never be in competition with one another.
My husband was the poster child for community college. He wasn't serious about his grades in high school, and he didn't want to go to college. A couple years of driving a fork lift convinced him that an education was worthwhile . . .
So he went to community college first, thinking he wanted to be an architect. He earned an AS in drafting, and in the process he decided that engineering was more to his liking. The AS degree allowed him to work as a draftsman during his later college years -- not the professional job that he wanted, but much better than working at McDonald's! He transferred his credits to a 4-year university and three years later graduated with an engineering degree. He says he never would've made it if he'd gone straight to the 4-year school.
Community college can be a GREAT CHOICE for the right person. Some people do it because they're not ready for a 4-year school, some do it to save money, some do it because they just don't think they can manage four more years of school or because their career aspirations only require an associate's degree.
There are lots of markets where the jobs compete; medical fields (nuclear tech, nursing), advertising and marketing, political science, criminal justice, education. I think CC can be an excellent choice, I just don't it's a waste of money and student loans to go right to a four year school, and I do think the quality of education (including price of tuition) can make a difference.