Two-Year
Colleges
Overview
Two-year colleges in the US offer an alternative to
the more traditional four-year bachelor's degree programmes,
providing access to high quality post-secondary studies
to many who might otherwise not continue their education.
It should be noted, however, that completing one's
study at a two-year college IS NOT equivalent to obtaining
a four-year bachelor's degree.
Known as community, technical or junior colleges,
these institutions offer study in a wide range of
subjects to post-secondary students of all ages and
academic intention, from those who simply wish to
take a short course to those wishing to eventually
pursue a bachelor's degree and beyond. In addition
to educational flexibility, two-year colleges are
also known for their affordability. Tuition costs
are low for those living within the area "covered"
by the college, as much of the funding for these colleges
comes from the communities surrounding them, hence
the term "community" college. Though costs are slightly
higher for those coming from outside these districts,
they are still relatively low in comparison to four-year
institutions. Many students will also save money on
living costs by living at home or with a relative.
Courses of
Study
These institutions are referred to as two-year colleges
as this is the normal amount of time needed to complete
an Associate's Degree, which is awarded at this level.
The Associate of Arts (A.A.) and the Associate
of Science (A.S.) degrees are offered in a wide
variety of liberal arts and science subjects designed
to meet the requirements of the first two years of
a baccalaureate degree. Degree requirements are established
to ensure that students acquire the knowledge and
skills necessary to either continue toward a bachelor's
degree, transferring for their final two years to
an accredited four-year college or university, or
to competitively enter the workforce.
Community colleges also offer occupational-technical
programmes designed to prepare students directly for
employment or to assist those already employed to
update their skills. The Associate of Applied Science
(A.A.S.) degree is offered in vocational and technical
areas such as business, industry and computer programming.
Certificates of completion are also awarded in specific
programmes that require varying amounts of study.
In addition to academic and vocational degree programmes,
most two-year colleges offer programmes to help students
improve their basic academic skills and prepare them
for lifelong learning. Adult education courses are
offered to address the individual's and community's
social, intellectual and recreational interests.
Admission
Requirements and Procedures
Generally speaking, for admission to a two-year college
one should have completed schooling up to GCSE standard,
including passes of grade C or above in GCSE Maths
and English. For students who intend to transfer to
a four-year college upon completion of an associate's
degree, a minimum of five or more grade C GCSE's will
be required. It is necessary that you check with the
individual institution that you are going to attend
for their specific requirements, because it varies
from one to another. Many colleges will also require
that the student take either the SAT
or ACT
exam and, for non-native English speakers, the Test
of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Admission
requirements and procedures will be similar to those
for four-year colleges, as described in the EAS
Guide to Undergraduate Study in the US . There
are, however, major differences between community
college and university admissions. One is the application
deadline. Community college deadlines for fall entry
can be anywhere between March and the day before classes
start in August. Another difference is the open enrolment
policy that most community colleges use. Open enrolment
means that every applicant will be accepted into the
institution. If an applicant has a minimal academic
record, the community college might require you to
take coursework designed to prepare you for more advanced
coursework. Four-year universities may offer you pending
admission and ask you to complete a semester or more
of introductory coursework at a community college
in order to fulfil admission requirements into the
four-year institution. After completion of the required
coursework, providing that you have done well at the
community college, you will be admitted into a regular
degree programme at the four-year university.
Admission requirements for non-degree courses may
vary widely, so it is necessary to check with the
individual college directly or to find their information
in the reference library of EAS. Admission requirements
for non-degree courses may vary widely, so it is necessary
to check with the individual college directly or to
find their information in the reference library of
EAS.
Transferring
Many students with an associate's degree from a regionally
accredited two-year college will transfer to an accredited
four-year bachelor's programme in the third or "junior"
year. This process is made possible through articulation
agreements between two-year and four-year colleges,
which guarantees that courses taken at an accredited
two-year college will transfer into a four-year college.
Articulation agreements are more likely to occur between
institutions within a state system (i.e. a community
college in Ohio and a four-year university in New
York are less likely to have a reciprocal agreement
than two institutions in the same state). You can
find out about any articulation agreements that exist
by writing to the two-year or four-year colleges that
you are interested in attending. You can also check
the resources in the EAS reference library.
International students wishing to attend a two-year
college with the intention of transferring to a four-year
bachelor's degree programme should be very careful
about planning their entire undergraduate programme
in advance. Some four-year colleges have strict guidelines
for transferring which will require some degree of
forward planning. One should consider such factors
as whether or not the two-year college has an articulation
agreement with four-year colleges; what requirements
will the four-year institution have for accepting
transfer credits; and what level of grades will be
required for transferring.
Housing
The majority of students attending two-year colleges
live in the local community and commute to classes
from home. Although some institutions guarantee on-campus
accommodation for foreign students, the great majority
of colleges do not provide student housing; though
there may be a housing office or an international
student adviser to assist you in finding local accommodation.
Costs and
Financial Aid
There is no financial aid for foreign students to
attend two-year colleges as they are state and locally
supported, though some colleges will offer a number
of athletic scholarships for talented athletes. Please
refer to EAS's Athletic Scholarships handout for more information.
Costs are relatively low in comparison with four-year
colleges. Tuition and fees will vary, but are normally
under $4000 per academic year.
For More Information
For more information on two-year colleges consult
Peterson's Guide to Two-Year Colleges (Peterson's,
annual) or Peterson's Guide to Vocational and Technical
Schools - East & West (Peterson's, annual)
both of which are available in the EAS reference library.
You are welcome to consult these materials during
our opening hours.
The
International Student Guide to the USA is an annual
resource publication for students all over the world
which provides resources that focus on the benefits
of community colleges to help further education for
students overseas. It is designed to help international
students make their academic plans and learn about
the culture of the United States.
Other
On-Line Resources
A listing of other websites that
have information on two-year colleges (and four-year
colleges) in the US:
American Association
of Community Colleges
