According to Penn State’s Foster, this decision may come down to what specific programs students are searching for and where those programs are provided.
- What are your professional or educational objectives? Those who might be interested in a bachelor’s degree program in the future, for example, should look into programs like those offered by Kaplan, where they can “stack” a bachelor’s degree on top of their associate degree without having to transfer.
However, many community institutions provide alternatives for making transferring simple. All general education courses at Hudson Valley Community College in New York, which is part of the State University of New York system, can transfer straight to four-year state universities, according to Chris Helwig, the school’s dean of educational outreach and academic services.
Obtaining an associate degree, on the other hand, can lead to faster employment growth inside a corporation, according to Foster.
“You have something that can demonstrate to your employer that you’re working toward a better education,” she says.
- What is the standard of online student services? Prospective students should also research the services that are available to online learners. According to experts, this may vary greatly between community colleges and four-year universities, especially because these types of schools frequently have varied levels of financing to help students.
“You need a school that will assist you,” Vandenbosch adds, “that has education advisors you can trust to help you through the hard spots, that has a library you can use 24 hours a day, that provides tutoring, and that has a help desk.”
- Who are the instructors for the online courses? Experts advise that, as with any online school, students should evaluate the instructors and establish whether they have prior expertise teaching in this manner.
That’s because there’s more to teaching online courses than potential students believe, according to Helwig, and a professor must genuinely engage the students.
“It’s not really about taking your lecture and putting it out there and expecting people to read and watch it,” Helwig explains.
