How Can I Find The Information I Need About Community College?

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There are many ways to find out about community college, ranging from enrolling in college classes while you're in high school, to personal visits and tours, to discussions with students, faculty, and staff, to the college Web site. You just need to take some time and effort to do a little digging and get a clear picture of what a community college has to offer.

Visit Your High School Counselor

If you are a high school student, your high school guidance counselor will be a good resource about college options, including community college. You may need to take the lead in this conversation, as some counselors may want to steer you directly to a four-year institution.

Ask your counselor about the following:

• The benefits of attending community college
• Special programs at community college that may be of interest to you
• Special scholarship opportunities for high school students who want to attend local community colleges
• The comparative cost of community colleges versus four-year institutions
• A referral to the admissions or recruiting office at the community college so you can make arrangements for a visit
• A schedule of college fairs, visits by community college recruiters, or special opportunities for high school students to go on campus
• Special programs that the community college might offer for high school students, such as college transition programs, early admissions and dual enrollment programs, or Tech Prep
• Transfer programs between community college and four-year institutions, especially those in state.

The following sections contain information about high school / community college collaborative programs that may be of interest to high school students and parents. Be sure to ask about these possibilities while you are in the gathering-information process.

Get A Head Start While You're in High School

Many high schools and community colleges have collaborative programs for high school students ranging from those for at-risk students who need to strengthen academic and study skills to accelerated programs that allow motivated and academically talents students to take college-level courses while in high school. You or your parents should ask your high school counselors and teachers if your high school participates in or has similar programs your freshman year in high school. You can also check with your local community college to see what opportunities it offers high school students.

Transition Programs for Students

Community colleges often have programs to help make students' transition from high school to college easier. Some are specifically focused on boosting your academic and study skills and to prepare you for college-level courses. Others encourage students to enter college by bringing the college to the high school.