While exact figures for homeschoolers are not available, four out of ten high school graduates begin their college careers at community college. For some students, it makes good sense to begin college with dual enrollment courses or a two-year degree from a community college, often followed by a transfer to a four-year college.
Here are some key factors to consider if your homeschooler may attend community college.
Cost
The number one reason many students choose community college is the lower cost. Community colleges have much lower tuition—often just a third of the cost of tuition at a public university. Look at these average 2024 costs from a survey published by the College Board. These are the costs before financial aid or scholarships. so most students pay less.
- Community colleges: around $3,900 for in-district tuition and fees
- Four-year public colleges: around $11,260 for in-state tuition and fees.
- Private colleges: average $41,400 for tuition and fees.
While some two-year colleges offer housing, community college students are more likely to live at home, which can save room and board costs. Room and board at many public universities is often as much, or even more, than the cost of tuition.
Community college students are eligible for federal financial aid, as are students who attend four-year colleges. Students should carefully compare the options they are considering with the awareness that many four-year colleges have scholarships they offer only to entering freshmen. Sometimes, a college with a more expensive list price may actually turn out to be a bargain for a student with high academic merit or high financial need. Still, for many students, though, community college will be significantly less expensive than other options.
Easy Admissions
Many community colleges are open admissions and may not require an SAT or ACT test. This can offer an easy start to college for students who are less academically advanced or who find their talents are not well reflected in test scores. Community colleges may require entering students to take a placement test. Placement tests are typically offered on-site and should not require significant preparation. Based on the results of placement test, remedial courses for math, reading, and writing are available for students who need them.
Policies vary but some state universities do not require students transferring from community college to provide SAT or ACT scores. Some students are not interested in “playing the game” in high school by preparing for more selective college admissions. For these students community college can provide an lower hassle route to beginning college and completing a two or four year degree.
Academics
Community colleges typically have small class sizes and the expectation that instructors will provide support and nurturing to students. Some homeschooled students may find this is a smoother transition than beginning with large lecture sections at a state university. For students who may have as much background in a particular core subject, such as math, community colleges offer an opportunity to build a solid foundation before entering a four-year college. Some community colleges also offer honors programs for their strongest students. Community colleges also offer programs that prepare students for trade or technical careers. These programs vary by area. Some common examples include HVAC, dental hygiene, construction technology, nursing, computer information systems, graphic design, and paralegal.
Campus Life
Many community colleges offer a full school experience beyond that classroom, including traditional school activities like theater, newspaper, clubs, and programs such as invited speakers or music groups. Phi Theta Kappa is the national honorary for two-year colleges. and many chapters are active in education and community service.
While most community college students live at home with parents or on their own, some community colleges offer on campus housing. This option can be ideal for a student who is ready for residential college living but needs a more nurturing academic environment. About 50,000 students across the US participate in sports teams at community and technical colleges.
Transferring
Many community colleges offer an easy path for transfer to in-state public universities. Articulation agreements clearly spell out how a student’s credits will transfer. In many cases, students can complete all their general education requirements at the community college and then concentrate solely on major classes after transferring. Research is important as states vary widely in what sorts of articulation agreements they offer. Some have statewide agreements, which make it very easy. Others may have only agreements between specific community colleges and specific state institutions.
Some public colleges offer transfer-specific scholarships. Transferring credits can be more complex for students looking at private colleges. Homeschoolers considering beginning a four-year degree at a community college should try to meet with an adviser at the community college to plan their strategy carefully. Not all two-year degrees will be the same when it comes to transferring to a four-year degree. Many more technically focused degrees may feed directly into a career path but not include the general education courses expected to transfer to a four-year B.A. or B.S. degree. Students always have the best chance to graduate on time when they regularly seek out advising and evaluate their progress toward their degree.
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