Junior colleges are schools that can offer education on a wide variety of subjects. They can award certificates or degrees that would earn the student the title of Associate in Art. A junior college, also referred to as a community college, is an option for students who are either too cash-strapped to pursue a degree in a four-year course, or it may be the student’s springboard to college after finishing two years in junior college.
Junior colleges can also offer certification programs. Graduates of a junior college can get a license to practice specialties in medicine, such as licensed vocational nursing or radiology specializations that will enable them to practice as x-ray technicians or sonographers. Junior colleges can also offer specialty programs dealing with computer programming, auto mechanics, or electrical work. Students can also get adequate training to enter the police force or seek work in the fire department.
Majority of public junior colleges have the benefit of providing students with a less expensive option to take up subjects normally given during the first two years of a four-year course. Additionally, if a student does not want to pursue college after completing junior college, he or she can also specialize in a field that does not need a four-year degree. Junior colleges can offer programs that are just as good as those offered in established colleges. Students also have the option of taking their subjects during the weekend, during the evenings, or online so that they can work.
Admission to a public junior college is not typically based on what the prospective student’s grades are in high school. Because of this, students who were not able to get high enough grades during high school can still get a college education. Before admission, the junior college may require students to take up an exam to determine their English and Mathematics skills. In addition, majority of junior colleges also give the students an option to enroll in remedial courses in order to pass classes where they may be having difficulty in.
Applicants to universities offering four-year programs sometimes do not need to present ACT or SAT scores. Instead of looking at high school transcripts, universities may grant admission or even scholarships based on the applicant’s performance when he or she was in junior college. This is advantageous to students who were not able to excel while they were in high school. Some junior colleges also offer guaranteed placements at the university once a student has finished the junior college program.
For students who are looking for less expensive options for higher education, or are just unsure about what course to take at the university, junior colleges can provide all the help they need, and more.