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Over the past month, we've talked about many facets of higher education--from  MOOCs to liberal arts institutions. Today we're talking about other important post-secondary options: community and technical colleges.   

Learn more about community college and vocational training:

Community colleges are pillars of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. They train technicians for jobs in leading-edge industries and grant associate's degrees that let students finish the last half of their higher education at a four-year institution. While the gap in economic well-being between college graduates and those with only a high school diploma grows ever wider, community colleges serve as gateways for the underrepresented and the working class. (Scientific American)

The difficulties transferring credits from community college to universities

Only about 12 percent of community college students who express an intention to transfer to a four-year school and complete a degree actually do so within six years, according to research by the Century Foundation.

A recent report by the Graduate Center at the City University of New York found that students are much less likely to earn a bachelor's degree if they begin their academic careers at a community college. (Community College Week) 

Combining the GED and professional certification


Carroll Community College in Maryland offers a joint GED-certificate program that allows students to get their high school credential, as well as an A+ certificate, which can lead to an entry-level career in information technology.

Many of these programs are modeled after I-BEST, an integrated basic education and skills training initiative launched in Washington State to help students with low basic skills, English language learners and those without a high school diploma enter college-level courses and earn professional credentials. (U.S. News & World Report)

Education News

We look at the roles of community colleges and vocational schools in higher education.

The state of community and technical college in Minnesota

Go Deeper.

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