Point

Brittany Gonzales

For people who have had a hard time in school before community college is a place where they can go and get a better education. It is a place where people of any age can go and get their degree and have a better future.

The 4-year degree program on a community college is a good idea because it will help the individual who needs a degree without hurting their budget.

Student loans are hard to pay off and can take years so if students could get their degrees without taking one out this would be great.

Although the classes would be online this would be better because the fees wouldn’t fit into a students budget.

According to the College Board, public four-year colleges charged, on average, $8,244 in tuition and fees for in-state students in the 2011-12 school year. For out-of-state students, the cost jumps to $12,526. This is not even counting books, food, gas, rent and everything else a student needs to live.

Students don’t have a lot of money because students don’t have as much time to work because they are attending school so how can a student pay that much?

They take out student loans, which later they will have to pay it all back. In the long run the cost will haunt a student.

CNN Money calculated that monthly payment for the average student who owes $25,000: For years 1 and 2, they’ll pay $197 a month; 3 and 4, $240; years 5 and 6: $292; years 7 and 8: $355; years 9 and 10: $431.

The average person does not pay off their student loans until after 10 years sometimes it even takes longer. So if the program were taken advantage of then students wouldn’t have to take out a student loan and therefor they could go on with there lives without having to deal with student loan debt.

According to Times Business 1 in 5 households owe student loans. 20 percent of Americans owe large sums of money. According to a new study by The Pew Research Center, 19 percent of households had outstanding student debt in 2010, by far the highest level ever.

This is damaging to families. Families already are hurting with the economy the way it is and people being unable to find jobs.

That is why this program would help future families.

Counter-point

Kelly Lee

It is a stage of transition for students to obtain a two-year degree while finishing their general education units needed to transfer. The programs offered at community colleges are not as excelled or focused on most students’ majors.

Starting a four year degree program at a community college would not be beneficial for students as it would allow the student to be comfortable and not be able to explore their abilities at a different school environment.

While the program is a lower-cost alternative for students, the cons weigh more than the pros. Graduating from a community college may not offer a strong resume for candidates while there are other higher education degrees from universities.

Obtaining a bachelor’s degree from a university would seem more ideal to an employer then a four year degree at a community college.

Coastline Community College in Fountain Valley, CA has started its’ own Learning 1st Program for 4-year degrees without ever leaving community college.

The way that the program works is students in select majors that are enrolled in the program are admitted to universities, with all of their courses taken Online. The first problem that arises is that the program would be unavailable for students with other majors. Learning in a classroom environment also proves to be more effective than Online learning. Causing another problem, limited interaction and no personal contact with instructors.

“A face-to-face meeting in a classroom imposes accountability, inspires effort and promotes academic responsibility in subtle ways that we don’t fully appreciate. On a campus, students attend class and stay alert because they worry what the teacher will think if they don’t,” Adam Chandler was quoted in The New York Times.

A student must be able to get more hands-on and be a part of a community where the focus is mainly on their career path and/ or major.

Students that transfer from community college often crave the university enrichment and the life of a college student.

The four year degree program in a community college would only stunt a student’s opportunity to grow and learn in a higher institution where their main focus will be on their career path.