What is a community college?

A community college is a two-year school that provides affordable postsecondary education as a pathway to a four-year degree(bachelor). You can study at a community college for 2 years then transfer and study at a university for 2 years to get a bachelor’s degree. Starting at a community college can save money and give you a boost in your academic career.

How many community colleges are there in the United States and Canada?

There are 1,167 community colleges in the United States. Additionally, there are approximately 150 community colleges in Canada as well.

What are the common majors in community college?

The most popular majors for community college graduates include liberal arts and sciences, general studies, and humanities, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

What are the specific majors in community college?

A major subject, such as computer science, health sciences, arts, technology or industry, and other career-focused majors.

The requirements of community college

A recent high school transcript for high school seniors or a proof of graduation in the form of a diploma (GED or high school) or final high school transcript. They also accept Myanmar matriculation exam and IGCSE O-level transcripts. For the English proficiency tests, they accept IELTS (5.5), TOFEL [550 (paper-based test), 213 (computer-based test) or 79 (internet-based test)], and Duolingo (95-100) as minimum scores.

The acceptance rate

• National average is 78%.
• Most are 100%.

Financial aid for the residents

If you are a California resident or AB 540 eligible student who has a lower income and proves the other essential requirement, community college can be tuition-free. These are the programs for those residents and students who can apply for financial aid.

• "Free Application for Federal Student Aid."
• “The California College Promise Program” For international students, they can contact the college websites and ask for financial aid.

The average tuition fees

• An average of $1,865 on tuition each semester
• $4,864 (in-state) and $8,622 (out-of-state) per year for public community colleges

Pros of Community College

• It is easy to get into community colleges. The admissions are not as competitive as universities.
• Take a Bachelor’s Degree at a lower cost: Both students who go to community college then transfer to the university and the students who straightly go to a four-year university, get the same bachelor's degree. Furthermore, the tuition fees at community colleges are significantly cheaper than at universities and the graduated students from community colleges won't be in debt after graduation, unlike students who go to university straightly. That's why it is the best pathway for lower-income students or students who don’t want to be in debt to get a bachelor's degree at an affordable price without any regret.

• One major reason to go to college is to prepare you to find a job in your chosen field.
• There are smaller classes: Students will get more individual attention from the professors.
• More flexible school timetables: You can even work part-time or full-time jobs while attending community colleges since you can choose a flexible schedule that will work for you and your classes.
• You will have more job opportunities: You can get high-paid jobs just after you have graduated from community colleges. The jobs will be mentioned in “What jobs can you do after achieving an associate degree from a community college?”

Cons of Community College

• There are some downsides to consider such as credit loss while transferring. (The university you transfer to does not recognize some programs you took at the community college. Thus, you have to retake the classes again) It might result in more years to graduate and hence cost more. So make sure your classes in community college are fully granted in the four-year university you would like to apply to.
• At Ivy Leagues, transfer admissions are more competitive than regular admissions. (Ivy leagues only accept about 10-20 transfer students each year.)

Nevertheless, the process would be smoother if the college and the selected university are in the same state.

What after community college(transfer to uni)

• Most community colleges have a transfer advising office that can assist students with transferring from community college to university.
• You can even transfer to a university within a year if you have gained enough credits to transfer. But most students transfer after two years.

What jobs can you do after achieving an associate degree from a community college?

• Dental Hygienists
• Veterinary Technicians
• Paralegal
• HVAC Technician
• Ultrasound Technician
• Court Reporter
• Human Resources Assistant
• Medical Assistant
• Registered nurse

Top 10 community colleges in the USA(2022)

Rank Name State Public or Private In-state tuition C 1 Montgomery Community College Troy, North Carolina Public

$2537

$8681

2

Carteret Community College Morehead City, North Carolina Public $2640 $8976 3 Northwood Technical College Rice Lake, Wisconsin Public $4917 $7084 4 Nicolet College Rhinelander, Wisconsin Public

$4,505

$6757

5

Halifax Community College Weldon, North Carolina Public

$2608

$8752

6

Western Technical College La Crosse, Wisconsin Public

$4500

$6584

7

Lenoir Community College Kinston, North Carolina

Public

$2568

$8712

8

Blue Ridge Community College Flat Rock, North Carolina Public

$2651

$8795

9

Haywood Community College Clyde, North Carolina Public $2580 $8724 10 Randolph Community College Asheboro, North Carolina

Public $2386

$8146

More information about the above community colleges in this link:([https://smartasset.com/data-studies/best-community-colleges-in-america-2022])

Best community colleges for international students in Canada(2022)

Rank Name State Public or Private tuition fees 1 Humber College Toronto, Ontario Public $14,500 CAD 2 Seneca College

Toronto, Ontario Public $ 8013.46 3 George Brown College

Toronto, Ontario Public $14,330 4 The Algonquin College

Ottawa, Ontario Public $12,950 – $14,600 5 Centennial College

Toronto, Ontario Public $14,080– $18,366 6 Selkirk College

British Columbia Public $7,900 – $8,500 7 Fanshawe College

London, Ontario Public $13,100 – $15,000 8 Vanier College

Montreal, Quebec Public $4,900–$7,700 9 Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)

Calgary, Alberta Public $4,595 – $28,031 10 Bow Valley College

Calgary, Alberta Public $10,000 – 15,000

More information about the above community colleges in this link: (https://allstudyguide.com/community-colleges-in-canada/)