Why Are Community Colleges Important?

The purpose of community colleges is to serve their community and people. They try to fulfill the educational needs of individuals and businesses. They are state-run and funded by both state and local taxes.

Low Cost

Community colleges are meant to provide an affordable education to their communities, and because of their funding, they are able to offer classes up to 50 percent less than public universities.

Open Enrollment

Anyone can attend a community college. Placement in classes is a result of assessments, but there are no grade-point average or SAT requirements for enrollment.

Welfare-to-Workforce

Many community colleges participate in welfare-to-workforce training to help people move from being supported by the government to being self-supporting.

Prison

In some states, the community college provides education services to prisons, offering degrees and certificates to inmates while they are incarcerated.

Community Involvement

As part of their role in the community, colleges offer various services, including assistance to companies and individuals who want to write grants and small-business administration support.

Dual-Credit

Certain states allow high school students to take college-level courses at a community college for both high school and college credit, letting the student graduate with part of their college already completed.

References

• The Changing Role of Community College
• Community college: A stepping stone to higher-education savings

Resources

• U.S. Community Colleges by State
• Community College Review