Community colleges may offer a relatively fast way to complete a degree or certificate, but students are often surprised that courses aren't a snap. Community college courses are challenging. Many associate's degree and certificate programs are geared to meet industry and technical standards, so you know they're going to be tough. Employers want to hire people who know their stuff, have critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and who can do the job.
Some occupations, especially in the health fields, require passing a certification or licensing examination before you can be employed. These tests are challenging. Your coursework will be designed to prepare you to pass them.
"Many students make the mistake of thinking community college is just an extension of high school. They aren't prepared for the college classroom experience, or for the amount of study time required to do the assignments."- Dr. Constance Saulsbery Beck, retired professor of mathematics, Westchester Community College (New York)
Jeffrey Wright, a full-time faculty member in the Aviation Maintenance Technology program at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, observes, "Part of our job is to prepare students to pass the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airframe and Power Plant certificate examinations, as well as to fulfill the requirements for an Associate of Applied Science degree. The FAA mandates 1,900 hours of attendance to get this license. Students have to pass a total of nine tests"written, oral, and practical"for the license. You need 168 credit hours to get the degree; it's almost like getting a bachelor's degree. The program and curriculum are challenging, but we're preparing students to work on airplanes and engines worth millions of dollars. They have to know what they're doing."
Not all programs are as intensive as this one, but you'll find that whatever you are studying, community college courses will be both challenging and worthwhile.
What Will Be Different from High School?
Whether it's been a while since you've been in school or you're coming to community college directly from high school, you'll find there may be some aspects of community college that you didn't expect and that take some adjustment.
Touré Muid, who is studying hotel and restaurant management at Bergen Community College (New Jersey), has these observations: "The level of coursework is completely different than in high school. You're expected to do much more. You're much more responsible for your own learning. In high school, teachers tend to walk you through everything to make sure you understand the material and assignments. In college, there's lots and lots of writing and that can be a shock."
It's Not High School!
- You'll take charge of your education and be responsible for learning.
- You'll be responsible for your course and how you manage your time, attendance, and progress.
- Your professors will not be checking up on you to see if you're getting your assignments, readings, and so on, done.
- You'll be responsible for knowing and following what the course requirements and policies are once you've been given the syllabus (course outline)
- Excuses that probably didn't work in high school-"I didn't have time," "I didn't understand," "The computer ate my homework"-definitely won't work here.
- Step-by-step instructions will often not be given for everything. You'll need to decide how to approach a project, research it, and get it done.
- More independent reading and study will be expected.
- If you need help, there's plenty available, but you'll be in charge of finding and accessing it.
What Will My Instructors Expect from Me?
Your instructors will basically expect that you'll be ready to learn. Be sure to show up for the first day of class with a notebook and pen, ready to begin. Your instructor will distribute the syllabus, or course outline, and then discuss what will happen during the semester, plus his or her expectations for the class.
The syllabus generally tells you information such as
- Course requirements and assignments with due dates
- Attendance requirements
- A list of books and articles that are required reading
- Ways to earn extra credit, if offered
- How your grade will be determined
- Classroom and college policies on issues such as late submission of work, cheating, and plagiarism (using someone's work without permission or acknowledgment)
- The professor's expectations about classroom etiquette, that is, acceptable behavior in the classroom
TIP: If it makes you more comfortable to know as much as possible before walking into class, find a student who has taken a course from your professor before. He or she will be able to pass along some of the professor's likes and dislikes and what the professor's expectations will be.
Your instructor will be responsible for:
- Being well-prepared to teach each class
- Treating students with respect
- Providing a classroom atmosphere that encourages learning and respect for a diversity of opinions
- Covering the material outlined in the syllabus and upholding the stated policies on assignments, tests, attendance, and other items outlined in the syllabus
- Grading you fairly and letting you know your progress in class by returning tests, essays, and other assignments promptly
- Providing you with ways to contact him or her for assistance or if a problem arises
- Following the college's policies on issues such as discrimination
Each instructor will have his or her own style of teaching. Some will prefer to lecture and will allow you to ask questions. Others will focus on classroom discussion and student participation as a way to present and review material. Some may emphasize individual or team presentations. Others may switch among all these styles during the semester. Whatever the teaching style, it will be up to you to adapt to their styles of presentation to get the most out of class.
As the student, you will be expected to:
- Know the instructor's requirements for each class
- Attend class
- Actively participate in class by asking and answering questions and contributing to discussions
- Behave courteously in class
- Respect the rights and opinions of others
- Complete assignments on time
- Monitor your progress in class and get help when you need it
- Know your professors' policies about issues such as attendance and make-up exams
How Busy Will I Be?
Now that you have the general overview of what you can expect in class, you can begin to see that being a community college student will require a lot of time and effort on your part.
If you're like most community colleges students, however, going to school will not be your only activity or responsibility. Most students have a part-time or full-time job, family, a social life, and, perhaps, involvement in community activities. You'll be juggling a lot already. Here are some factors you'll need to take into account as you determine what will make community college manageable for you.
To be considered a full-time student, you will usually take at least 12 credits a semester. This probably amounts to three or four courses each semester. If you're taking a three-credit course, that means you'll have three hours of in-class time each week. Multiply that by 4 classes and you've got 12 hours of time you'll be expected to be in class that week. If you take less than 12 credit hours a semester, you will be considered a part-time student, but the class time hours and time required to do assignments still add up. Courses that include labs or "clinicals," such as many courses in the sciences and health professions, end up demanding far more than the stated 6 hours of lab or clinical time per week.
You might spend a full day on campus, take an early morning course and then go to work, or finish your work day and arrive on campus for the evening session. Because community colleges try to be as flexible as possible with scheduling, many of them also offer weekend courses or special programs with weekend sessions.
Of course, in addition to attending class, you will also have to find the time outside of class to study, complete assignments, and write any assigned reports. Both part-time and full-time students tend to underestimate just how much time they'll have to spend on coursework outside of the classroom.
So, no matter how many courses you take or when you take them, attending college requires a substantial investment of time. Add the commute to campus plus your other daily activities and responsibilities, and you'll have quite a busy week.
Although there is no typical day for anyone, here's an example of one part-time student/full-time employee's day.
SNAPSHOT: Musa Saquee is attending college part time and completing some basic skills courses before seeking admission to the radiologic technician program at Gwinnett Technical College (Georgia). Because of financial constraints, he is working nearly full time as a convention service attendant at a nearby hotel. He describes a typical day as: "My day begins at 6 a.m. and ends about 11:30 p.m. I'm out of the house by 6:30 a.m. so I can arrive a few minutes before my 7:30 a.m. English class. I have another class at 1 p.m. and then I'm due at work at 3 p.m. By the time I get home it's 11:30 p.m. or later. I'm often too tired to study then so I try to go to the library between my classes to prepare my assignments. It's hard to find enough time to study when you're working full time. I'm hoping to reduce the number of hours I work and to find a job on campus so I can take more courses and have more time to devote to my studies."
Now that you have some idea of what to expect in the classroom and from your instructors, as well as some of the demands on your time, you'll need to know how you can be successful in your studies, as well as what campus resources will be available to help you. The next chapter will offer advice from students, professors, and administrators about what to do.
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