Difference Between Community College and College

Community College vs College

The key difference between community college and college is that a community college offers two years associate’s degrees whereas college offers four years bachelor’s degrees. These two terms are widely used in America for related post-secondary education institutions . Most of the community colleges offer courses for people in a particular local area. Colleges, on the other hand , cater to a wider local and international student base. Except for these key differences there are unique characteristics of the two in terms of admission, course fee and the variety and nature of courses offered. A community college education is, usually, considered as the pathway to college education.

What is a Community College?

The admission to community colleges is open to anyone who is willing to follow a course compared to college admission. Even though, the credit added courses of community colleges require high school diploma or equivalent as entry level qualification. However, as records show, programs related to Allied Health Sciences are highly selective of its participants even in community colleges. The course fee of programs offered by community colleges is also rather affordable. The students of community colleges are not only comprised of high school leavers as in colleges since a considerable number of adults too follow courses in these. Community colleges offer a variety of vocational trainings and courses e.g. beauty culture, which paves the way for specific job opportunities is a unique feature when compared with any other post-secondary educational institution. The highest qualification offered by a community college is an associate’s degree which is offered in a period of two years.

What is a College?

College or university in the US has rather rigorous admission process compared to community colleges. In order to qualify to follow a bachelor’s degree program in a college one needs the following qualifications: a good high school grade point average, standardized test scores (e.g –SAT), letters of recommendation usually from high school academic staff and any other documents as required by the institution. The college course fee is considered as twice as that of community college s. Attendants to colleges are high school leavers who opt for four years bachelor’s degrees that are highly academic and competitive. For example, medicine, engineering or IT.

Most of the time, designing of course curricula are undertaken by the expert scholars, professors in the field and involves ongoing research and development. Students are, usually, assessed based on strict evaluation procedures and require submission of individual research before graduation most of the time. The basic degree offered by college is bachelor’s degree which leads to post graduate degrees as well.

What is the difference between Community College and College?

All facts considered, it becomes clear that community colleges involve rather liberal process in terms of its admission and course fee compared to the US colleges.

They are also unique in their strong focus on vocational training and career development of adults who are different from young adult students/high school leavers in the colleges.

As a result, a particular local community can benefit out of community colleges most compared to the large local and international student populations of colleges. It is colleges that have got a stronger focus on academic standards of their degree courses when the two concerned.

In conclusion, it is clear that community colleges serve the public as educational and professional training institutions in local areas while colleges maintain strict academic standards in terms of their comprehensively designed degree courses for carefully selected students.