Community college students need 4 years to graduate
By Jason Song, Los Angeles Times
About half the students enrolled in California’s community colleges take more than four years to graduate, double the traditional two-year commitment, a study released Tuesday found.
Of the nearly 64,000 who received a single associate degree in the 2012-13 academic year, the median student took 4.1 years, the nonprofit Campaign for College Opportunity said.
“We’re all talking about a college affordability crisis,” said Michele Siqueiros, executive director of the group that examined the graduation rates of the 2012-2013 graduates. “And time is part of that crisis.”
State community college officials said that nearly 80,000 students received an associate degree in the 2012-13 year, but some may have earned additional certificates or degrees. The study only examined students who earned an associate’s degree.
In what way is this news? The entire idea of Community Colleges was to provide educational routes for students who, for a number of reasons, financial being at one end and lack of preparedness to move into a degree program upon high school graduation being at the other (both of which, along with the middle between the two, are worthy of an intelligent debate about educational quality and priorities, but will more likely turn into yet another pissing contest between extremes).
I spent 2 1/2 years in “junior college” before avoiding the Viet Nam draft the old fashion way – enlisting. During my 4 years in the military, and over the next 34 years, I took classes from at least 8 different colleges. I’d long since given up on the idea of a degree, although if I were to accumulate my units I’d probably be very close to one. But I educated myself on my own terms, and despite, or because of, my erratic, self determined education, I served my community and my interests in ways that my children, both with degrees, are neither interested in nor, unfortunately, even capable of.
Not to create misunderstanding; I love them both – uncritically.
I agree copper. I also started community college over 40 years ago. I moved all over the US and took classes at community colleges along the way. I also raised a big family, worked full time and volunteered in each community I lived in. I never stopped learning in the school of hard knocks. BUT I am proud to say I finally graduated last year from LTCC with an AA. Doesn’t feel any different!