community colleges
Two-year public institutions
Community colleges are two-year institutions offering associate degrees, vocational certificates, and transfer programs to four-year universities.
They typically have open admissions policies and lower tuition than universities, making higher education accessible to students who might not otherwise attend college: She started at community college before transferring to a state school.
In the U.S., they serve diverse populations—recent high school graduates, working adults, and career changers.
Two-year undergraduate qualification
- transfer creditsAcademic work recognized elsewhere
- general educationMandatory broad academic requirements
- remedial coursesInstruction addressing academic gaps
- prerequisitesNecessary prior conditions
certificates · coursework · syllabus · curriculum · semester · credit hours · GPA · transcripts
Accepting all applicants
- GED programsAdult diploma completion studies
- ESL classesInstruction for foreign speakers
- adult learnersOlder people pursuing education
- first-generation studentsCollege-bound without family precedent
dual enrollment · second chance · flexible scheduling · evening classes · disability services · inclusive
Pupils living at home
- enrollmentAct of registering officially
- registrationFormal recording of participation
- advisorsThose who give counsel
- facultyInherent power or ability
adjunct professors · student services · tutoring center · library · computer labs · financial aid office · bookstore · student lounge
Preparation for specific occupations
- certificationAttestation of qualification
- workforce developmentBuilding employable skills
- apprenticeshipLearning trade through employment
- skilled tradesOccupations requiring specialized manual training
nursing programs · welding · automotive · HVAC · culinary arts · dental hygiene · paralegal · phlebotomy
Payment for instruction
- financial aidFunding for education expenses
- scholarshipsFunds awarded for study
- grantsAwarded funds for purposes
- Pell GrantFederal undergraduate financial assistance
work-study · low-cost · fee waivers · payment plans · FAFSA · need-based aid · cost-effective · budget-friendly
associate degree
Two-year undergraduate qualification
- transfer creditsAcademic work recognized elsewhere
- general educationMandatory broad academic requirements
- remedial coursesInstruction addressing academic gaps
prerequisites · certificates · coursework · syllabus · curriculum · semester · credit hours · GPA · transcripts · core classes
open admission
Accepting all applicants
- GED programsAdult diploma completion studies
- ESL classesInstruction for foreign speakers
- adult learnersOlder people pursuing education
first-generation students · dual enrollment · second chance · flexible scheduling · evening classes · disability services · inclusive
commuter students
Pupils living at home
- enrollmentAct of registering officially
- registrationFormal recording of participation
- advisorsThose who give counsel
faculty · adjunct professors · student services · tutoring center · library · computer labs · financial aid office · bookstore · student lounge · parking lot
career training
Preparation for specific occupations
- certificationAttestation of qualification
- workforce developmentBuilding employable skills
- apprenticeshipLearning trade through employment
skilled trades · nursing programs · welding · automotive · HVAC · culinary arts · dental hygiene · paralegal · phlebotomy · cosmetology
tuition
Payment for instruction
- financial aidFunding for education expenses
- scholarshipsFunds awarded for study
- grantsAwarded funds for purposes
Pell Grant · work-study · low-cost · fee waivers · payment plans · FAFSA · need-based aid · cost-effective · budget-friendly · subsidized
- Caribbean Educationprimary schools, secondary schools, education ministry, teacher colleges, technical schools
- New York EducationColumbia, Cornell, CUNY, SUNY, Syracuse
- university systemsSUNY, Cal State, Big Ten, Ivy League, state schools
- worker educationtrade schools, vocational training, apprenticeships, technical schools, technical education
- Indiana SchoolsIndiana University, Purdue University, Notre Dame, Valparaiso, Wabash
- Hawaii EducationUniversity of Hawaii, vocational schools
community collegeselite universities
Highly selective higher education
community collegesuniversities
Institutions granting advanced degrees
research universities · graduate schools · research institutions · liberal arts colleges · doctoral programs
community, college, communicate, communication, collective, commune, communal, communion, colleagues