Student Issues / Attending College

The Top 10 Tips for Incoming Community College Students – Updated 2025

Welcome, new community college students (and their advisors and families)! Starting community college in 2025 presents new opportunities—and a few familiar challenges. This guide offers practical, updated advice to help you begin with confidence and clarity.

Why These Tips Matter Now

Today’s students face a balancing act. Over 70% apply for financial aid, but only 58% actually receive support. Tuition and fees at a public two-year college average about $4,050 per year, yet when housing, food, and transportation are included, the total yearly cost is closer to $16,000 (Center for American Progress). Careful planning—and early action—makes all the difference.

Top 10 Tips for Incoming Students in 2025 1. Apply for Financial Aid Early (and Apply Broadly)

Submit the FAFSA as soon as it opens. In 2023–24, only 61% of fall enrollees submitted by the deadline (Education Data Initiative). Missing out means leaving free money on the table. Each $1,000 in aid can raise persistence rates by up to 2%. States like Massachusetts are even considering proposals for tuition-free community college plus stipends (AP News).

2. Know Your Costs Beyond Tuition

Tuition covers only 20% of a student’s budget; housing and food represent more than half of total expenses. Books, transportation, and childcare can also add up. Use your school’s Net Price Calculator to estimate your true cost of attendance.

3. Attend Orientation and Meet Your Advisor

Orientation

The educational landscape is ever-changing, offering more opportunities than ever for high school students to get a head start on their future. One such opportunity is dual enrollment, a program allowing students to earn college credit while navigating their high school hallways. This comprehensive guide aims to shed light on dual enrollment, making it easier for parents and students to make informed decisions.

A Brief History

Dual enrollment made its debut in the United States in the 1950s. Initially, the program was designed to serve gifted and talented students by providing them with more academically challenging courses. However, over the years, dual enrollment has broadened its scope. Today, it serves diverse students, allowing them to experience college-level coursework and prepare for higher education.

How Widespread Is It?

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 15% of high school students participate in dual enrollment programs. Some states like Florida, California, and Michigan lead the pack with robust dual enrollment systems. However, the availability of these programs can vary significantly between school districts and even individual schools.

This video explains dual enrollment.

Eligibility and Admission

Students must meet specific academic prerequisites to participate in a dual enrollment program, such as a minimum GPA. In addition, some programs require teacher recommendations or standardized test scores. After completing the eligibility requirements, students typically go through an application process

Artificial Intelligence has been around for many years. But it's recently gotten much media attention because of an AI application called ChatGPT. ChatGPT is one of several AI apps that OpenAI has developed. Let's explore ChatGPT and find out how it can help you plan your studies at a community college.

To show you how ChatGPT can work as a resource, I submitted the following questions to ChatGTP. ChatGPT's answers are in blockquotes. These questions and answers will show you the power of this remarkable new tool. Note that I use the word "tool" to describe ChatGPT. Its database is the entire Internet through 2021. It is speedy, powerful, and generally accurate. You may be tempted to have it write your papers, answer quizzes, and do other homework tasks. But don't be tempted. Your work and the thinking behind your work are unique. Only submit work that is yours with proper attribution. Claiming that you wrote something somebody else or ChatGPT wrote is cheating. It's unethical and will get you into trouble with your college instructors.

This video offers a crash course on ChatGPT.

I want to take an online course at my local community college. Which is better, online learning or in-person learning?

That really depends on your individual learning style and preferences. Online learning can be great because it allows you to work at your own pace and can

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the country hard, but it has been particularly difficult for America’s working class. Low-wage jobs were eliminated by the millions and people without college degrees faced the highest rates of unemployment. Over a year into the pandemic, community colleges – the education system created to help America’s working class – continue to struggle.

According to data from the National Student Clearinghouse, enrollment has declined by nearly 10% at over 1,000 two-year colleges since last spring. Added to a similar drop in enrollment last fall, these numbers more than double the decline in enrollment seen at four-year colleges and universities. Enrollment has declined even more sharply among Black and Hispanic students.

These numbers hint at the many ways the COVID-19 pandemic has affected community colleges and highlight the challenges these schools face if they are to survive. Keep reading to learn more about the current state of community colleges in the U.S. and what the future may hold for them.

Which States Have Been Hit Hardest?

The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t left a single corner of the world untouched but under the Trump administration the United States saw millions of deaths which left the country in shock. Around the country, students were forced to choose between abandoning their plans and enroll in college or accept an altered version involving remote education. Nearly half of all American households report that a prospective college student cancelled their plans to attend community college in

Should Graduating Seniors Consider a Gap Year?

The spread of coronavirus disease (nicknamed COVID-19) has thrown a wrench into the 2019-2020 school year for many students. As schools scramble to implement online leThe Gap Year Associationarning programs amid statewide school closures, graduating high school seniors wonder whether their undergrad plans will be affected.

According to a national survey conducted by the Art & Science Group, a higher-education consulting firm, one out of six high school seniors surveyed are rethinking their decision to enroll full-time in a bachelor’s degree program in the fall. Many plan to enroll part-time in a program, but an equal number are considering an alternative plan: taking a gap year.

In this article, we’ll explore the subject of the gap year to learn what it is and what benefits taking a gap year can provide to students. We’ll also talk about helpful tips for planning a gap year and steps to take when applying to college after a gap year.

What is a Gap Year?

The year-long break between high school graduation and the start of post-secondary education (or full-time employment) is known as the “gap year” and has become increasingly popular. The current health crisis sweeping the nation has already impacted the U.S. education system, and we may see an increase in graduating seniors taking gap years as an alternative to post-secondary education.

The concept of the gap year has been around since the 1980s, but one of the most famous