Random Thoughts

Paying for any college has become increasingly difficult over the last several years. State universities have had to increase their tuitions and fees due to states cutting funding to higher education. Private universities have been placed in similar positions as enrollment steadily decreases. Much of this change in funding for higher education has come from the dismal state of the employment market. As the availability for jobs has become smaller, people have found it difficult to justify spending thousands of dollars on an education that has no guarantees in helping find a career after graduation. People who have already graduated can easily tell you that while student loan bills are promised to come every month, a job in their chosen field is not. So as a high school graduate or even someone who is considering going back to school, you may be asking yourself if it’s at all worth it. The answer is yes. Getting a higher education is definitely worth it. The job market will not always be in the state it is now, so getting a degree is worth the time and effort. What has changed is the best route to take in getting the degree. The first step is to enroll in a community college in Colorado.

Community College First

There are several reasons to start at a community college. The first is that community colleges are typically much less expensive that a traditional four-year university, private or not. This means taking out less in loans right away. Second, if you are someone who didn’t excel in high school or took some time off after graduation, it may be a good idea to take it slow and take one or two classes at a time. Community colleges are much more flexible to be able to cater to the wide variety of students that are enrolled. Finally, every four-year university requires a certain number of general credits and classes be completed before graduation. These usually include credits in English or writing, math, computer sciences, and history of some kind. If you attend an accredited community college in the same state that you intend to go to a four-year university in, those completed general credits can be transferred. This could very well save you time and money in the end. Be sure to discuss this with an advisor at both the community college in Colorado and the four-year university you plan to attend later.