Why community college is a good option for international students?

You may feel the American Higher Education System is completed, but don't worry!

Click here to know more about the types of American colleges and universities.

(College of the Canyons, a community college in Santa Clarita, California)

When you are pursuing higher education in the United States, you will first think about applying to a four-year university. Some of you may have checked the USNEWS Rankings and find the most prestigious universities as your dream schools, while some are scared off by the low admission rate. Today, I would like to introduce you the community colleges, a great pathway to your dream schools, which is much easier!

There has been a stigma around the educational quality of community colleges. However, community colleges are becoming more popular because of their affordable tuition and the path to gaining enrollment at selective four-year universities. “As of 2020, there were 942 public community colleges in the United States… In 2018, about 5.5 million students were enrolled in public 2-year postsecondary institutions across the U.S.” (Duffin, Statista).

There are many advantages to attend community colleges,

Lower Cost

Attending a community college is much cheaper than being enrolled at a four-year university. For example, tuition for international students is about $9,048 per academic year (24 units in 2 semesters) at Santa Monica College (a community college in California), while it will cost approximately $16,399 at California State University, Fullerton. Students who attend the University of California or private four-year universities pay much more in tuition.

Do you know? The differences on the tuition can help you pay your Master-Degree Programs.

Click here to check the Average Cost of College in America

Small Class Size

Another advantage of community colleges is the small class size. The average class size at most community colleges is smaller than it is at four-year universities. Most classes will have about 20 students, potentially a few more. Smaller class sizes enable students to receive more personalized attention, which can positively affect their studies and grades. With a better student to professor ratio, students may interact with their professors more in and out of class.

This fall, CS61A has more enrolled students than any other undergraduate course at UC Berkeley, with a roster of a whopping 1098 people. (BY ALEX MABANTA, CHLOE HUNT, SHANNON NAJMABADI AND KAI RIDENOURE)

Admission rates are higher for transfer applicants

An additional beneficial outcome of attending community college is that international students have an improved chance of getting into selective four-year universities. Data shows “University of California Santa Barbara has an acceptance rate of 37% for freshmen applicants while 59% for transfer applicants.” (Solanki, Collegedunia). International students need to submit a comprehensive and competitive application to apply to selective, four-year universities. The application packages include standardized tests, extracurricular activities, and recommendation letters. However, community colleges do not require all those components for admissions.

In this chart, you can find the transfer admission rates are much higher than the Freshman's.

(UC Admission Rates VS Transfer Admission Rates, Fall 2019)

Articulation Agreements

Community colleges have more transfer options. Many community colleges across the country now have articulation agreements with four-year universities. Students that begin their education in a two-year program can finish their baccalaureate degree at a four-year university. In California, Senate Bill No. 1440 requires California State University to guarantee admission with junior status to any community college student who meets the requirements for the associate degree to transfer. California State University includes 23 campuses across the state, such as CSU Long Beach and CSU Fullerton. Another transfer program in California is the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG). Six University of California (UC) campuses offer that program to California community college students who meet specific requirements. The participating campuses are UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside, and UC Merced. Students who take part in TAG may receive an early review of their academic records, early notification of admissions, and specific guidance regarding major preparation and general education coursework.

Click here for more information about the official course transfer and articulation system for California’s public colleges and universities

What do you need to prepare for community college?

While you are in your home country, it's sage to prepare for college early. As an international student, it's important to improve your English.

Here are things I highly recommend you to do,

1. Watch one American movie every week, twice a week, with no subtitles in your home languages;

2. Form an English-Only Hour every day with a group of 5 students, 5 days a week to discuss the movie you watch that week;

3. Read the news in English and learn how to talk about it.

Although Community colleges do not require a competitive English-proficiency-test score, it's highly recommended to improve your English before you come. It helps you have a better understanding while study in the US.

Some tips for you while study in the U.S.

1. You must Attend EVERY class. Unless you are sick or having an emergency, you shouldn't miss any class. If you have to be absent, send an email to the professor and explain the reasons.

2. You need to build a good relationship with your professors. Meet your professors in the office hours, answer the questions in the class, and send a thank-you card or message to the professor after you get help.

3. Go to the Learning Center as much as you can. Many community colleges have learning centers to support students in academics. For example, the learning center at College of the Canyons has free tutoring services. In addtion, it's a quiet pleace for study.

4. Do not change your classes only because you want to take classes with your friends. You need to meet a college counselor before enrolling classes or making any change. The articulation agreement, also known as the transfer agreement, is comprehensive. International studnets need to be careful of it because one mistake can prevent you from transfering to a four-year institution, and it will take you another year to the next admission circle.

5. Maintain your status as an F-1 student. Check your emails daily, so you will not miss any messages from the DSOs(designated school officials). Click here for more details about when do you need to speak to a DSO.

Financial Aids for International Students

Although international students are ineligible to apply for the federal financial aids, they can apply for institutional financial aid and scholarship.

Click here for more information about how do international students apply for financial aid.