What is a community college?

Community colleges are publicly supported and locally oriented colleges that offer programs for transfer to a four-year college, career education programs, remedial or "catch-up" programs for students who lack a strong educational background, and continuing education for cultural growth, life enrichment, and skills improvement.  more

Community colleges are public, two-year colleges. (Private two-year colleges are generally called as junior colleges.) A community college allows a student to do their first two years (equal to an Associates Degree) of a four-year (Bachelors) degree. Many students will choose community colleges due to their smaller class sizes, lower prices and less competitive admission requirements. Many community colleges have articulation agreements with four-year universities that allow for a transfer into a bachelors degree program. This is very common for institutions within the same state. For more information on community colleges please see the American Association of Community Colleges website at www.aacc.nche.edu.  more

Community colleges are publicly supported and locally oriented colleges that offer programs for transfer to a four-year college, certified vocational training, remedial or "catch-up" programs for students who lack a strong educational background, and continuing education for cultural growth, life enrichment, and skills improvement. This page tells you what the Community College enterprise is all about. Use the links in the menu to learn about the history of the California Community College system (The Community College Idea). Use other menu items to get basic information for prospective students (Academic Options) or to learn more about financing your education (Financial Aid).  more

The most practical way to describe a community college is to say that it is an institution of higher education that offers both technical and general education associate degrees and typically offers a host of certification programs and specialty training programs. Contrary to old notions about community colleges being no more than a glorified vocational school, community colleges offer accessible, affordable, high quality education that fulfills a growing demand for higher education attainment. Included in their academic offerings, community colleges typically offer a variety of programs to meet a diversity of student demands. In short, students have options at a community college that would fulfill their needs for specific career training or their need for general courses to be used toward attaining a bachelor’s degree or higher. What is the major difference between a community college and a university? The major difference is the type of degree offered. As mentioned, community ...  more

A community college (also known as a junior college) is a higher education institution that provides a two year curriculum that can include leading to an associate’s degree. Other programs in place include a transfer program towards a four year degree and occupational programs (one and two year programs of study). Besides coursework focusing on academic programs, courses are also often offered at the community college for personal growth or development.  more

Community colleges are public colleges offering programs that lead to a 2-year Associate degree, transfer preparation to a 4-year college to earn a Bachelors degree and certificate or associate degree programs leading to careers, such as, office worker, chef, airline pilot or day care teacher.

The concept of community colleges in the United States developed in the early 20th century. Primarily, these schools are publicly-funded facilities offering higher education to anyone who is interested, especially those in the local community. A community college traditionally offers certificates, diplomas and/or Associate’s degrees in several courses of study. At many community colleges, credits can be transferred to a four-year university for those students seeking a Bachelor’s degree. Sometimes, a community college is alternatively known as a technical or junior college, or even a county or city college in some states. Some of the most popular fields of study at the community college level include nursing, law enforcement, radiology, and technological fields. Other disciplines with high enrollment include law enforcement, emergency medical technician training, and firefighting programs. Students who attend community college come from a variety of backgrounds and attend such ...  more

Community colleges are public, two-year colleges. (Private two-year colleges are generally called as junior colleges.) A community college allows a student to do their first two years (equal to an Associates Degree) of a four-year (Bachelors) degree. Many students will choose community colleges due to their smaller class sizes, lower prices and less competitive admission requirements. Many community colleges have articulation agreements with four-year universities that allow for a transfer into a bachelors degree program. This is very common for institutions within the same state. For more information on community colleges please see the American Association of Community Colleges website at www.aacc.nche.edu.  more