10 Tips For Successful Community College Transfers

Many community colleges across the country have transfer agreements with four-year schools, which allow students to easily transfer credits from the community college level and apply them toward a four-year degree program. Now, a whole new type of program is cropping up among two and four-year schools from coast to coast. Instead of transferring credits from community colleges to universities, schools are now allowing agreeing to reverse transfers, which allow students to take credits from their four-year institution and apply them to their community college degree.

The Reverse Transfer System is Introduced

While transfers to four-year schools provide clear benefits and a subsequent rise in popularity, the assurance of transferring credits from the university level to the local community college creates a more complex array of advantages. This process is a relatively new one that is just beginning to be introduced in college systems nationwide.

Many students who begin their college work at a community college move to a four-year institution before completing their associate degree. While credits may transfer to the four-year school, the student is left without a degree to underscore the work they put into their first college efforts. Until the bachelor’s degree is finished – which may take many more years of education – the student has little to show for his time, effort and money.

At the same time, community colleges are forced to report dismal completion rates – in some cases possibly affecting their ability to receive funding.

Despite laments nationwide over the sluggish economy and high unemployment rates, some fields are booming for community college graduates today. With decent starting salaries and higher-than-average growth predictions, many of these fields are the perfect professions for higher education students to focus their studies. Many of the fastest-growing jobs on the latest list can be entered with an associate degree, giving graduates the best possible value for their education dollars.

Home Health Aides

Home health aides come into homes to help those who are disabled, ill, or elderly. These professionals provide various services, from personal hygiene to light housekeeping. In some states, aides can administer medication or take vital signs. The home health aide role is imperative to those who want to be at home but cannot care for themselves ultimately. Although most visit patient homes, some work in group homes or care centers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for a home health aide was $20,560 in 2010. The job opportunities are expected to grow by 69.4 percent between 2010 and 2020, well ahead of the national average for job growth. This profession typically does not require postsecondary education, although a two-year degree at a community college may increase employment prospects.

Veterinarian Technicians

Those with a passion for four-legged patients may find their niche as veterinary technicians or technologists. These professionals work alongside veterinarians, performing diagnostic testing and assisting with the treatment of animals of all kinds.

Remedial education is a core component of community colleges today, as more students enter the world of higher education unprepared for the rigors of a college-level curriculum. However, remedial education has been linked to a low completion rate at some schools, where hours of class time in unrelated, remedial courses interfere with a student’s ability to earn a degree in a reasonable amount of time. With many factors weighing on a college’s ability to offer efficient remedial education, some schools are taking innovative approaches to the idea of preparing students for the rigors of higher education.

This video looks at the issue of remedial courses in community college.

The Prevalence of Remedial Education

An article at the Hartford Courant suggests that too many incoming freshmen are getting placed in remedial classes before they can take actual college coursework. The Courant reports that as many as 60 percent of all students entering community college must take at least one refresher course in math or English. What is even more unsettling is that only about one-quarter of these students go on to actually complete their degree program.

The publication also cites statistics from the Community College Research Center that show one-third of these students could pass a regular college course with a grade of a “B” or better, even without the remedial coursework under their belts. These numbers certainly seem to suggest that students are getting placed in remedial classes more often than is necessary.

With tuition rising at community colleges across the country, many prospective college students today are looking for the most affordable options in higher education. Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Education is ready to oblige the bargain hunters with a list of the most affordable community colleges in the U.S. Peruse the Department of Education’s list of deals to see if one of the schools is in your area.

The College of Affordability and Transparency Center

In an effort to bring affordability back to higher education, the Obama Administration has launched the College of Affordability and Transparency Center. This website offers a wealth of information about the cost of all types of higher education, with customized reports users can generate based on the information they wish to peruse. The center was created under the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, according to U.S. News and World Report. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan explains that the availability of information like this is critical for helping students find the most affordable solutions in a college education today.

“We want to arm students and parents with the information they need to make smart educational choices,” Duncan told U.S. News and World Report. “Students need to know up front how much college will actually cost them instead of waiting to find out when the first student loan bill arrives. These lists are a major step forward in unraveling the mystery of higher education pricing.”

In addition to pricing