Community colleges are not a fallback

Community Colleges are a bold first choice.

College enrollment increased again this fall, continuing a cautious recovery for higher education following the decline of the Covid pandemic. But it isn’t four-year institutions driving much of the growth. It’s community colleges.

Undergraduate enrollment at public two-year colleges rose by 4%, with enrollment in career-focused certificate programs growing by 6.6%. And yet, even as more and more students are choosing two-year institutions, the outdated perception persists that community colleges are for students who couldn’t get in elsewhere.

Excerpt only. Read the full ViewPoint in Community College Daily

That narrative overlooks what today’s learners actually need and want. They want affordability, flexibility, smaller class sizes, strong wraparound support and academic pathways aligned with real-world careers — all aspects of a good community college. They want to build skills, earn income and continue their education when life allows. Community colleges offer that flexibility without compromising academic rigor or opportunity.

It’s long past time to retire the stigma and recognize two-year institutions as a strategic option for ambitious students who are intent on maximizing the value of their higher-education investment.

Today, community colleges enroll about 40% of the country’s undergraduates. In many states, they educate more residents than public four-year universities. Far from a niche alternative, community colleges are the backbone of our nation’s postsecondary system, providing affordable pathways directly into careers as well as toward bachelor’s degrees.

As the labor market shifts and employers clamor for skilled workers, these institutions are the most capable of meeting that demand. They are deeply tied to local economies, and their agility allows them to build or retool programs in months rather than years. Across the country, community colleges are building career pathways tightly aligned to local industry, partnering with employers and university partners to ensure students learn the skills needed for high-wage jobs, and redesigning advising and support models to help students persist and complete.

Consider the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC), where up until last summer I served as executive vice chancellor and chief student experience officer. The University of Chicago, the University of Chicago Medical Center and CCC have partnered to expand healthcare programs and facilities on the south side of Chicago, providing an on-ramp for local residents to secure in-demand positions that pay well and are accessible with a one- to two-year degree.

Olive-Harvey College’s “One Year and Out” program partners with the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to offer a one-year no-cost associate degree in criminal justice and waive the CPD Academy entrance exam, offering a fast track into the growing law enforcement field. Wilbur Wright College built a cybersecurity pathway, developed with employer input, that prepares students for immediate entry into one of the region’s fastest-growing fields. Perhaps unsurprisingly, enrollment in City Colleges programs has been on the rise for the past four years.