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US Community Colleges Beckon Students

DUBAI — When a teenager enters his last year of school, conversations at the dinner table shift from homework dilemmas and weekend plans to the best university to apply to and how to fund education overseas.

Out comes the brochures, university league tables and global rankings and with that mounts the concern of meeting entry requirements and falling into a debt trap.

While the dream of a degree from Harvard, Yale or Columbia come true for a selected few, community colleges — a concept seldom talked about by international students — can be an option for those who aren’t quite the Einsteins or do not have the big bucks, but wish to pursue quality education in the United States.

Community colleges in the US began as a way to provide post- secondary education to the majority of Americans who otherwise would not have an opportunity to attend a four-year university.

“Community colleges are a great pathway for students who want to go to university but do not have the required grades,” explains Sanjeev Verma, director of Intelligent Partners, an education consultancy in Dubai.

“The other advantage is the cost. If you want to bring down the cost of education, choose the community college route.” The average cost of education at a community college is $10,000 annually for international students.

David G. Arredondo, director of International Student Services at the Lorain Country Community College (LCCC) that offers courses in arts, sciences, medical, business and computer fields, said students can pursue a range of educational associate degrees for two years at community colleges. “With these, they can apply to transfer to a four-year university to complete a bachelor or master’s degree,” said Arredondo.

Community colleges in the US are reporting a surge in enrolments owing to the current unstable economic climate. In 2009, President Barack Obama announced a federal initiative to invest $12 billion to produce five million more community graduates by 2020.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of associate degrees and vocational certificates awarded by post-secondary institutions reached 1.5 million in 2007, which represents a 28 per cent increase over the previous decade.

The LCCC has 15,000 students on campus and has seen enrolments double in the last ten years.

These colleges also serve as a bridge from high school to college and enable students to ease into life on campuses, according to Verma.

“A lot of students tend to get flustered on big campuses and for them, this transition through community colleges is very helpful,” he said.

While students in the US consider it a feasible and favourable option, international students are either unaware or weary about their prospects at a community college.

Arredondo said he noticed many misconceptions during his student recruitment visit to the UAE. “Most students and parents don’t quite understand the concept of a community college.

“They fear that their courses will not be accepted at four-year university and that they will need to repeat courses when they transfer.

“In some countries, the feeling is that a community college visa applicant will be denied which is not true.”

Verma said the biggest hurdle is the stigma that education at community college is a compromise that translates into low standards, thus preventing students from taking advantage of affordable tuition fees, small classes and guaranteed transfer to universities.

Credits of courses at the LCCC are accepted by most universities and Arredondo said, “Universities actively recruit our students since they know them to have a solid preparation.”

The Northern Kentucky University, a study destination for students from 91 foreign countries, has articulation agreements with community colleges in the area. It is an agreement that matches coursework between schools.

Elizabeth Leibach, director of the office of international students at the university, said there are a growing number of community colleges that are designed for the average student.

“Universities such as ours accept credits as part of our partnership with community colleges,” she said. “However, students need to find out about the transfer options before they decide on a college.” The proximity and links of the college to a preferred university and courses should be an important point of selection, said Verma. “The college should be chosen on the discipline one wants to follow,” he said. “The location is important if you want to get into a particular university.”

However, with any essential decision, students must weigh the pros and cons before opting for any higher education institute, advise educationists. Funding options, transfer choices and reputation of the institute and faculty must be researched. — afshan@khaleejtimes.com

“Community college is just a different concept that opens up another opportunity for higher education in the US,” says Verma.

afshan@khaleejtimes.com

The Thread

Chirpy, Chirpy, Tweet, Tweet


WHETHER or not you use Twitter, you are probably aware of all the fuss that now surrounds this online, mini-blogging service that even has government officials and big business leaders “tweeting” at regular intervals.

It may be strangely compulsive, but is it a useful form of communication?
The answer depends on how you use it, what you want to communicate with it, and to whom. 

As a relatively recent subscriber to Twitter I have found it an interesting way of observing what others are talking about but I remain unconvinced that it will replace other forms of communication as some Twitter experts predict.

Rather, its potential is as an additional form of real-time, instant communication.

Others seem to agree. Writing earlier this year in Communication World, Angelo Fernando from Arizona State University says: “Twitter has reached the point where we cannot ignore it. Micro-blogging is definitely going to evolve; not, as some have surmised, at the expense of blogging, but in a way that will fill the gaps in how we can stay tuned to a rapidly changing media and communication world.”

One of the greatest advantages I can see for Twitter is that by limiting messages to not more than 140 characters it encourages users to focus on the core of their message and avoid padding and waffle.

Although a bit more space is usually available in other media, the discipline of paring a message right back to its bones is a useful one to cultivate.

Being crystal clear about the message you want to convey is at the heart of all really effective communications.



Hilary Robertson, founder of PR consultancy blogs @CommunicateThat