The Keys to Success in Community College

Preparation and Hard Work

Is it a myth or a fact that because community colleges offer open admissions (in other words, virtually all applicants are admitted), you don't need to prepare or work hard in high school to attend one? It's a myth, and a big one at that!

Community College Is College

While you are lucky to be living at a time when college is an option for everyone—regardless of academic achievement in high school—it's important that you get the real facts about community college. Just because you can go to a community college does not mean you will get a degree. In fact, the drop-out rate for students attending a community college is greater than for students attending a four-year school.

In the book Beyond College for All, author James Rosenbaum's survey of high school students in the Chicago area reveals that many students believe that not working hard in high school will not hurt their chances for future success. These students tend to choose easy courses, putting little or no effort into preparing for college. Not surprisingly, this lack of effort in high school does make a difference. According to the survey, 83 percent of students with low high school grades who planned to go to college and earn a bachelor's of arts (B.A.) degree failed to do so. And more than 92 percent of students with low grades who planned to go to college and earn an associate's of arts (A.A.) degree (the degree offered by community colleges) failed to do so.

In college, unlike elementary school and high school, you don't just get to move up a grade each year without working. The cold, hard fact is that succeeding in college—whether it's a community college or a four-year institution—takes effort. And the number one way to prepare for this is to practice by working hard while you're still in high school.

Community college is college, requiring skills that are best gained in high school. While these institutions are open to all, they nonetheless have standards that you will need to meet to advance academically.

Why Bother Going to College?

If community college requires so much work, you may wonder, "Why bother going?" There are many reasons why you should go to college. Perhaps the most important is that you will gain information and skills that you will use for the rest of your life, no matter what career you choose to pursue. Some of the other practical benefits of college include:

Having more job opportunities: More and more jobs require education beyond high school. College graduates have more jobs to choose from than those whose highest degree is from high school.

Earning more money: People who graduate from college usually earn more than those who don't. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, on average, someone with a bachelor's degree earns $50,900 annually—62 percent more than the $31,500 earned by someone with only a high school diploma.

Maybe you feel that college will be too hard for you. In fact, many students believe college is hard, regardless of how well they do in high school. Keep in mind, all colleges offer tutoring and student support. As confident as some of your peers may seem to you, no one goes to college knowing everything.

Requirements, Requirements

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 40 percent of freshmen at public two-year colleges take one or more years of remedial, or developmental, courses to gain skills they did not learn in high school. One of the best ways to prepare for attending a community college, or a four-year institution, is to take required and challenging courses in high school. This will ensure that you don't spend your valuable time and money in college taking remedial classes that often offer no credit. At a minimum, you should take courses in English composition and math classes through first-level algebra.

Studies by the U.S. Department of Education find that students who have to take lots of remedial courses in college are less likely to graduate. It's therefore in your best interest to go to college with the required skills under your belt. Doing so will enable you to focus your full attention on college-level courses for credits, and that will lead directly to getting a degree.

What to Do If You're a Senior

If you're a senior in high school, you probably don't have much time left to boost your Grade Point Average (GPA) or to take specific courses. If this is your situation, don't worry! You can still take advantage of community college and have it work to your benefit. You just need to keep in mind, that during your first year, you must focus on completing courses to strengthen writing and math skills that you did not master during high school. Don't let this discourage you, though. It's important that you stay the course. By working hard your first year, you can prepare yourself for a great future. There is no better place than a community college to help you become a better student and to provide support as you meet your educational goals.