Community Colleges

By Andrea Insley, Ed.D.

More international students are attending community colleges, which offer a popular alternative for completing the first two years of a Bachelor’s degree.  They see community college as a starting point in their effort to earn a four-year or graduate degree from a U.S. university.  These first two years are designed to provide a strong foundation of general knowledge before a student begins concentrating on a major field of study. 

Transfers and Training

In fact, many university advisors recommend that students attend community college “college transfer” programs first, then transfer to universities for the final two years.  Students transfer or use their credits from community colleges to earn a four-year degree.

In addition to college transfer programs, community colleges offer a wide range of vocational (job-training) programs.  These train students in hundreds of careers from Business Administration and Computer Programming to Nursing, Fashion Design, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Secretarial, Commercial Photography, Engineering or Advertising Art.  Students who complete these courses earn degrees or certificates. 

Helping the Local Community

Community colleges meet the educational and vocational needs of local communities.  Usually they are run by a state government.  By maintaining an “open door policy” with low tuition costs and few entrance requirements, community colleges have offered many people a chance to get a college education.

Andrea Insley, Ed.D., is Dean of International Education Programs at Seattle Central Community College in Seattle, WA. 

How does a community college differ from a four-year college or university?

1    ADMISSION IS EASIER.  TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores and academic requirements are usually lower for admission to community colleges than to four-year institutions.  Many community colleges also offer ESL (English as a Second Language) programs for students whose TOEFL scores are too low. 

2    COSTS ARE LESS.  Tuition at community colleges can be 20% to 80% less than at four-year colleges and universities, particularly if the four-year school is private. 

3    STUDENT POPULATION IS OFTEN SMALLER THAN FOUR-YEAR SCHOOLS.  Teachers and advisors are able to provide more one-on-one attention to students.  Many U.S. and international students say that attending smaller schools for the first two years helped them make a good transition into larger four-year schools for the final two years. 

4    CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS ARE MORE SUPPORTIVE.  In the U.S. educational system, students compete for good grades.  International students who do not speak English fluently are at a disadvantage.  Often, they do better and feel more comfortable in smaller classes where there is less competition. 

5    ADJUSTING IS EASIER.  Two years at a community college can help an international student improve language skills and grow accustomed to the U.S. educational system and way of life.