Editorial – November 2016

2-year colleges

Luke Butler, Graphics Editor

Colleges come in all shapes and sizes. Some offer longer terms, or higher tuitions. Some colleges have an element of prestige. Other colleges don’t. A college’s reputation is possibly one of the biggest factors in distinguishing between colleges, which results in a social stigma. Competitive and expensive colleges are “good,” extremely competitive schools are “great,” and anything else is “bad.” The schools that suffer most from this culture are community colleges. For students that aren’t competitive or can’t afford the tuition for an expensive school, why should community colleges be considered a bad option?

One of the biggest sources of pressure for seniors and many juniors is deciding which college they want to go to after graduating. There’s no reason for people to shun one of the potential options of a student interested in higher education. There are lots of benefits to attending a two year college.

For a student with grades and test scores that aren’t high enough, going to a community college for a higher education isn’t something that should be discouraged. Some students use their time attending a two year college strategically to transfer to a four year college. Triton is a public community college that allows students to take classes under the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI). This program guarantees the transferability of their credits to four year schools in Illinois. “We provide high quality instruction,” says John Cadero, college admission representative for Triton College. “We have professors [teaching at Triton] that are the same professors that teach at four year institutions.” Community college is for more than just students that don’t have high test scores.

Some students are unsure of what type of education they want to pursue after high school. For these students, attending a college that’s affordable and close to home might be a better option. The average published yearly tuition and fees of public two-year colleges are almost $6,000 cheaper than public four-year colleges for in-state students. “For many students, attending a two year college is an excellent opportunity,” says Stephen Butera, coordinator of public relations at Triton College. “For students who are unsure of exactly what they want to study, Triton has more than 100 degree programs and many more certificate programs that will allow students to complete their GenEd classes… and allow them to put themselves on a path to academic success.”

Too often, people think the college system is simple. Different options work for different people. Some people need schools that fit them economically and geographically. There’s no reason to look down on someone for it. Some people act like community colleges aren’t a notable part of the college system. Last year, 8.6% of OPRF’s graduating class enrolled at Triton College. It is unfortunate that students will be pressured to make decisions based on other’s bias. Why should we discourage these students from furthering their educational careers?